Door Number Two
by Reaper Nanashi
Summary: -HIATUS- Naruto had always wanted a loving family, but it hadn't occurred to him that having one came with its own set of problems. He was trying so hard to love them that he never realized he was hurting them . . .
1. Opening the Door

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 2,682

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 12/29/06

**Disclaimer:** My name has no letter 'm' or 'k' in it, so I must not be Masashi Kishimoto.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything related to them is mine.

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all; one choice can change a life forever . . .

**The Reasoning Behind It:** There are precious few of this type of fic (maybe three). Two of them were either poorly written, did not fully explore the possibilities of the concept, had been dropped mid-story, or some combination thereof. The third one, QuestofDreams and Lazuli's _Parallels_ (plugplug) isn't exactly what I had in mind myself, but its originality is fascinating and I love the whole fic. One day, I'll remember to go back and write _some_ kind of review saying so, even if it's otherwise incomprehensible gibberish, but in the meantime my review is right here: **_IT'S REALLY, REALLY GOOD_**. I advise everyone to go read it, but homophobes beware: it features prominent boy-on-boyness.

* * *

Chapter One - Opening the Door

* * *

Something was wrong.

Not in the sense that he was in pain or having trouble recalling the last thing he had been doing--which he was--but in the sense that the whole world felt alien. There was no mingled fear and hatred permeating the air like usual.

It felt . . . _ordinary_.

Opening his eyes, he made a visual survey of the area. It was definitely a hospital, but the bed was softer than he remembered and the room itself was more decorated and pleasant. A large vase of flowers sat on the bedside table and the curtains were a warm pastel blue. There was room for another bed there, but instead of a hospital bed there was a comfy-looking futon that appeared very much slept in.

Probably Iruka; nobody else really cared enough to stay that long.

He realized suddenly that he had to go to the bathroom very badly and spent two minutes pulling needles and tubes out of his arms and . . . other places.

Catheters were the invention of demons.

The heart monitor shrilled a flatline and he winced as he shuffled over to the bathroom. Turning the light on also turned on a hidden vent that rattled rather noisily, but it made a nice counterpoint to the heart monitor, so he did not mind. When he finished he flushed, washed his hands, turned the light-vent off, and stepped straight out of the bathroom into chaos. The room was swarming with alarmed medical personnel and very agitated ninja.

He groaned. He had been planning to go back to sleep. "Hey . . . _Hey_ . . ." Apparently, he was not being loud enough. "_HEY_!"

That did it.

"Is it okay if I . . . you know . . . ask for some _peace_ and _quiet_ to _rest_?"

He expected to be scolded, muttered at, cursed.

Anything but what _did_ happen.

"Oh, thank the _gods_!"

A _strange woman_ was _hugging_ him.

"Um . . ."

"Oh, sweetheart! You scared us!"

Sweetheart . . .

No one had ever . . .

This had to be a joke.

He pushed her away fiercely. "Who are you?" he demanded. "Who put you up to this?"

There was a startled silence before the woman began to cry. She turned to the doctors and cried accusingly, "You said he was all right!"

The doctors, seeming bewildered, said, "There was no sign of psychological trauma . . ."

Naruto crossed his arms. This was some big joke, he could tell. He had never seen any of these people--the ninja included--before. This was undoubtedly one of Jiraiya's schemes to throw him off and upset him to teach him some kind of lesson.

"Well, _obviously_---"

"Now now, Hotaru, don't point fingers yet."

He looked up to identify the new voice and felt the blood drain from his face.

"See?!" the woman insisted. "He doesn't recognize you either!"

"Actually, I think he does. You know who I am, kiddo?"

He swallowed and nodded dazedly, then watched the world tilt dangerously.

"Whoa, kid."

Arms--warm, gentle, comforting arms--went around him and picked him up. Even though it was surely a bad idea, he was so completely starved for that kind of tenderness that he found himself leaning into the embrace and was distinctly upset when he was put down on the bed, no matter how soft it was. Frantic, he reached out for the man's sleeve and pulled on it. "Don't go," he pleaded, hating to sound so weak and frightened but seeing no other way to keep that warm feeling close and at the same time get information.

The woman--Hotaru--brushed his hair back. "Honey, your father has to---"

His _father_?!

"No, Hotaru, it's all right. If my staying will help him feel better I can certainly spare a few minutes." She hesitated and he assured her, "It'll be fine. You really should go see your friend like you were planning to and when you come back I'll go in for paperwork. After all, if there's one constant in the universe, paperwork is it. So go on; we'll have our man-to-man time while you're gone."

"All right. You win." Hotaru leaned in and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Get some rest, sweetie."

"Okay . . . Mom?" he choked out awkwardly, hoping it did not sound as strange to them as it did to him.

He had . . . _parents_?

. . . He had _parents_ . . .

Once Hotaru had gone, his father dismissed the ninja remaining in the room while the doctors performed various checks. "My apologies for the false alarm, gentlemen." The masked ninja saluted and vanished and the doctors exited shortly after.

His father turned to him. "So, kiddo, you say you know me. How so?"

"Um . . . What do you mean?"

"Considering your reaction upon first seeing me and then your response to your mother's apparent revelation that I'm your father, you didn't recognize me as such."

He wanted to say, 'It's because you're _dead_!' and go along in that vein until he was blue in the face, but he had to be careful. Now that he was thinking a bit more clearly, he was starting to think it was more than a practical joke. It seemed more like an enemy genjutsu meant to wind him up and break him down--a way to get information from him. He needed to be on his toes at all times, no matter what.

Quietly and with caution, he answered, "No, I didn't."

"Then tell me who you recognize me as. So we have somewhere to start."

"You're the Hokage."

A nod. "So you know where you are?"

"Konoha."

"Your name?"

Here, he hesitated. Because of Kyuubi, he had many enemies. Would the information be used against him? ". . . Naruto."

"Why are you so uncomfortable?"

"I want to go home," he replied.

"All right, I'll talk to the doctors. Maybe they'll let you go if I promise to have Nyoko's nurse watch you as well. Is it okay if I ask now?"

"Sure."

While the man was gone, he tried to figure out exactly what was going on. It did not _feel_ like a genjutsu and all of his attempts to cancel any possible genjutsu turned up nothing. Calls to Kyuubi echoed hollowly.

_Am I dreaming?_

"Sorry, kiddo. The doctors say no. You'll have to stay here overnight for observation and evaluation. Do you think you can handle that?"

"I'm not _scared_. I want to go home, that's all. I just woke up a minute ago and I feel like I've been here forever."

"Three weeks."

He groaned and scrubbed his face with his hands. "I don't want to stay here. I feel fine."

"Try telling them that. By the way, what are these?"

He flinched slightly at the casual contact with his whisker marks--he could not recall any but himself ever touching them. "Um . . ."

"You know, I call you Little Fox, but I never intended for you to take it literally. Your mother is going to have a fit when she relaxes enough to notice that you have _tattoos_."

"They aren't tattoos! And are you saying you don't care?"

"Well they don't wash off--yes, I've already tried it. And of _course_ I care; you've just made yourself the most eligible assassination target in the known world."

He had never been told that before--probably so as not to scare him--but it made perfect sense. "I'll take care of it." He would have to get some make-up.

"Please do. In the meantime, to save the both of us from your mother's wrath, I'll cover for you." Hand seals were formed and he felt something settle on his shoulders. "Fortunately for us, your mother isn't a ninja or this would never work. That illusion will wear off eventually, so 'take care of it' as soon as possible."

"I will."

There was a long sigh and his father suddenly sank onto the edge of his bed like an old man. "Asserting your individuality is one thing, Naruto, but you really scare me when you're so obvious about it."

For the first time in his life he apologized for carrying Kyuubi. He could not say why he did, as he had never had the urge to at any point before, but it seemed like the right thing to do then. ". . . I'm sorry."

"Just remember that around here, being blond and blue-eyed makes you stick out from the crowd anyway, okay?"

"Okay."

"Thanks, kiddo."

It was only much later, when his father had gone and his mother had fallen asleep on the futon, that he realized the Fourth Hokage knew absolutely nothing about the nine-tailed fox demon sealed within him.

". . . Where the hell am I?"

* * *

"Na'uto-niichan!"

His father--it was hard to keep thinking that, but he had to play along until he figured all of this out--nudged him. "You're being called."

His reply was utter brilliance--"Huh?"--and he turned in the direction that the other blond was looking only to be faced with something he had never seen less than ten feet away from him before. Startled, he leaped back into his father. "What is that?!" He actually did know what it was, but saying that was the first thing that had come to mind.

The Fourth Hokage chuckled and leaned down to put their heads at the same level. "Most people call them toddlers. What are they called where you're from?"

It was very irrational, he knew, to be afraid of a toddler. Especially when faced with such a cute one all by herself, but he knew absolutely nothing about children because he had never had the chance to _be_ one. He was sure he would hurt her, or that Kyuubi would hurt her, and would prefer not to have to interact with her at all if possible. It was surely better if he kept his distance, that way she would not be injured.

"Naruto?" his father asked in concern, looking at him with clear worry. "What's wrong? Why are you so scared?"

Comforting arms went around him again and he realized how ridiculous he was being. He shook his head and forced himself to relax. "I just . . . don't remember . . ."

". . . Maybe you should have stayed in the hospital."

Naruto did not hear him because he was too busy staring at the tiny girl in front of him. She had crawled out to him and was attempting to stand; it apparently took a lot more effort than he had ever considered, because she had quite a time with it. When she at last accomplished this, she held her arms up expectantly. He found his body moving instinctively, bending down and fitting his hands beneath her short arms to pick her up. He concluded as he lifted her that he did not have the leverage for such a maneuver--he should have crouched and used his knees rather than his back. To correct this, he shifted to extend the right half of his pelvis to form a temporary shelf to readjust his grip. For the first time he was able to appreciate women's hips and wished he had a pair for instances like this. Sighing, he hefted the young girl again and quickly fit one arm and then the other beneath her diaper-clad bottom.

She squealed almost directly into his hypersensitive ear--foxes had fantastic hearing, after all--and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. "Hi, Na'uto-niichan!" she squeaked, kissing his cheek sloppily.

"Hi," he responded, returning the kiss hesitantly.

"I miss you."

He came to the rather abrupt understanding that he loved this little girl dearly. It was not a choice he had made, but a deep-down acknowledgement of something that he could not explain. "I'm sorry. I know I was away a long time."

"Back now?"

"Yes."

"Fo'eva?"

It was so easy to talk to children, he concluded. So easy to promise their innocent eyes the moon just to see them smile and make them happy. No one had ever done it for him, but he still wanted to do it for those bright hazel eyes. Even so . . .

"For a while."

He could not betray those eyes with an impossible promise.

_Such soft thoughts,_ a familiar voice sneered in his mind.

It was a voice he had never before been so relieved to hear. _Kyuubi!_

If anyone could figure this out, it was the caged demon.

_Ugh! Shut up before my head explodes, you little rat!_

_You sound bad. Need chakra?_

_It would be . . . helpful._

In most cases, Naruto made use of the fox's chakra. He could, however, provide a small amount of his own chakra to the fox for assimilation and replenishment. It was like jump-starting a motor and thus faster than waiting for the demonic chakra to refresh on its own, rare as those times were, so he went on an internal search for his own chakra.

_Er . . ._

_. . . Perhaps you should have that looked at._

_Is this it?!_ he screeched in shock, peering into the dilapidated and nearly empty well that symbolized his stamina. _Where the hell did it all go?!_ He fished out what he could spare and passed it through the seal to the fox, trying to stave off the sudden exhaustion from the lack of sufficient chakra and totally unaware that he had drawn attention to himself.

The Fourth Hokage, having overseen the reunion between his two children, turned to his daughter's nurse. "Hitomi, could you watch over Naruto for a while?"

"Certainly. Is something wrong?"

"He's . . ." He sighed heavily. "He's . . . having memory problems. Severe ones. You saw how he was with Nyoko. He didn't recognize either Hotaru or myself as his parents, though he knew that I was Hokage." Hitomi gasped in concerned dismay. "He also knows this is Konoha, but that seems to be the limit. If he asks any questions he should already know the answers to, please just humor him."

"I understand completely, Hokage-sama, but if he's in such a condition shouldn't he stay in the hospital?"

He shook his head. "He doesn't want to be there. He asked yesterday if he could come home, but the doctors wanted him to stay overnight. Hotaru was with him and said he was up all night staring at the door to his room. I don't want him to stress out and break down. If being here in a familiar place with familiar routines can calm him, his memories might return to him faster. So---"

Hitomi waited, then leaned in slightly and asked, "Hokage-sama?"

He ignored her. Someone close by was playing with chakra . . . demonic chakra? The tiny flares he was reading reminded him of Kyuubi, but . . .

"Na'uto-niichan? _Nii-chan_?!"

He looked down, startled, and saw Hitomi whisk Nyoko from Naruto's arms. He reached out reflexively, cradling his son carefully in one arm as the smaller blond slumped toward the earth. "Naruto? _Naruto_?"

Ready to rush back to the hospital, he was stopped when worn-out blue eyes eased open. "'M okay. A li'l tired, tha's all."

He sighed and lifted the almost lifelessly-relaxed body. "You want me grey-haired before I'm forty, don't you?"

". . . Sorry . . ."

He carried his firstborn to his own room and placed him carefully down on the bed. "Get some sleep."

"Wanna stay wit Nii-chan!" Nyoko shrieked.

He turned and tapped her warningly on the nose. "Shh. Your brother is trying to sleep." She squirmed uncomfortably beneath his intense gaze and when she was sufficiently quieted, he continued. "Your brother was in a big accident and he's very sleepy. He won't be able to play with you. If you want to stay with him that's fine, but you have to be quiet and still so he can rest. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Daddy," came the soft murmur.

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

Please don't lecture me about hospital dos and don'ts and how and why it's dangerous to remove needles and other such things. I already know that, but Naruto's never exactly been the convalescent type, has he?

---

If you think it's weird that the Fourth didn't at least recognize Naruto's whiskers as marks of possession, rest assured that there _is_ a reason and I'll get around to explaining it by the fourth or fifth chapter.

---

Also, please excuse Naruto's mushiness in regards to Nyoko. There's a reason (there's _always_ a reason), and--believe it or not--it's not because he's a lonely orphan boy. Not totally, anyway.

---

Overall, I'm not quite sure I like this chapter. Too . . . I dunno . . . _fast_, I guess. Naruto's introduction to Nyoko probably could have been better, but I had nothing to base it on because I've never been around a kid that young. Ever. Every single blood relation on both sides of my family (aside from my little sister, who's only fourteen months my junior) is either at least three years older than me or dead.

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Reviews are much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	2. Disorientation

**Author's Note:** All right, I give. You people are _way_ too excited about this, so I submit. Here's chapter two, a full three days early. I will post chapter three on Saturday. This is the _only_ time I'll do this for now--I still have to finish this story and I'm afraid I'll need all the buffer space I can get. So you _better_ enjoy this and be grateful! Got it?! _Got it_?! XP

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 4,122

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 1/3/07

**Disclaimer:** Mine? Let's see . . . No royalties checks, so . . .

**Claimer:** Genko, Byakko, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything related to them.

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Two - Disorientation

* * *

Naruto woke slowly, groggy and confused, and panicked momentarily when he found his surroundings utterly alien. Nothing was familiar and he was alone. Only a harsh mental slap brought him to himself again.

_You humans get frightened so easily . . . **Smell**, boy! Don't waste my senses!_

Obediently, Naruto lifted his head and took a few tentative sniffs of the air. ". . . Food!"

_Fetch, boy!_

"You think you're such hot shit, don't you, Fox-bastard?"

_'I think, therefore I am.'_

"Like I didn't see that one coming . . ."

_Coming?_ came the amused question. _Why yes, I'd lo---_

"_AAH_! Shut up, pervert fox!"

Kyuubi's consciousness receded with a snicker.

Naruto stretched a little bit and poked around. Several articles lying about bore his name, so he assumed he was in his own room and left, mentally mapping the hall outside the door so he could find it again. Since he had a choice, he went to the right. After a few minutes of navigation, he discovered that he was right back where he had started. He tried again, taking some previously passed-over halls, and found himself at the door of the kitchen.

_The nose knows._

"Oh, Naruto-sama! I'm glad you're well!" the woman there called happily. "The Hokage was very worried about you--wouldn't eat for three days. Might have been longer if the doctors hadn't threatened to feed him intravenously."

Naruto-_sama_? That was something he had not expected to hear so early in his life. "He wouldn't eat?"

"No. Don't tell him I told you, but he always stops eating whenever you or Nyoko-chan are seriously hurt. Poor man has a tender stomach from all the fretting he does."

It was possible for a Hokage to have a sensitive stomach? ". . . I had no idea . . ."

"Of course not, dear. He doesn't like it when people worry about him. Now go on to the lounge--I'll be done here in a few minutes."

He had no idea where the lounge was. "Okay."

Fortunately, both the lounge and dining room were up the hall. He stepped into the lounge before realizing that someone he did not know was already there. His senses were far too dull--he needed to train a _lot_.

The man was familiar, but not enough to ease his suspicions. "Heya, kiddo. Nice to see you're okay. Place wasn't the same without you."

"Wh-What are you doing to Nyoko-chan?!"

The man looked down at his lap, where Nyoko was lying on her back and giggling when he lifted her by her ankles. "Playing."

"You're hurting her!"

He looked again at the girl, who was now actively chewing on the tender underside of his wrist and hissing like a beast. Blandly, he replied, "I doubt it."

Naruto growled and reached down for his shuriken holster, only to remember belatedly that there was not one there.

The man noticed. "You know you aren't supposed to throw weapons in the house."

Naruto snarled softly. He did not want to leave Nyoko alone, but with such low chakra he needed a weapon and there were none in the room. He took a step back and jumped when he felt himself collide with someone behind him. He whirled, startled that he had not heard the person approach, but was quickly overcome with relief.

Back-up had arrived. "Dad! Dad, this guy . . ."

The Fourth sighed and put an arm around Naruto's shoulders. "It's all right, Naruto. He's a friend."

"He is?"

"What's wrong?" the visitor asked, turning Nyoko on her head and causing her to laugh.

"If you make my daughter sick, you get to clean it up."

"Oh, but she _likes_ it, don't you, gorgeous?"

Nyoko laughed raucously.

Naruto reached out and very carefully snatched her away, then stepped slightly behind his father, not bothering to hide his distrust.

The Fourth sighed once more. "Naruto, really. It's okay. Please trust me."

The visitor frowned. "What's wrong, again?"

"Naruto's had some memory problems since his accident. Everything's strange and new to him, so please be patient."

Naruto growled again, wishing faintly that he was not so private or he would tell them _all_ about his childhood and _why_ he never trusted anyone outright. Mistrust was learned, not inherent. Any stranger poking around in his home or the homes of those he cared about were considered potential threats--all guilty until proven innocent with not even fake apologies to any offended parties. He would never apologize for caring.

"In that case, I'll reintroduce myself." The man pulled off his headband, which had been in a sort of over-the-head bandana style. Naruto soon understood the reason for it when he saw the man's platinum hair. "I'm---"

He gawked. "Kakashi-sensei?!"

"'Sensei'?" the Fourth echoed.

Kakashi rubbed the back of his head. "Does this mean I get a raise?"

"'_Sensei_'?"

"I _have_ taught him a few things, but I never told him to---Am I going to get in trouble for any of this?"

"Exactly _what_ did you teach him, Kakashi-_sensei_?"

As fun as it was to see his teacher squirm so, Naruto felt responsible for bringing it up, accident or not. "Does it matter? I don't remember any of it."

The Fourth looked at him sharply. "Don't try to---"

"Hokage-sama!"

His father frowned more deeply and collected Nyoko. Giving them a venomous warning glare, he said, "You _both_ better hope it wasn't anything dangerous or it will become _extremely_ hazardous to your health."

Kakashi let out a very soft sigh as the Fourth moved along the hall to find the one who had called him. "Thanks, kiddo."

"Is he always like that?" Kakashi blinked questioningly, so he clarified with, "Suffering mood swings. Is this something I need to watch out for?"

"No. Your dad's usually a really nice guy. It's just that when he gets stressed out he gets kind of crabby."

"What's to be stressed about? I know running the village is hard, but it can't be _that_---Stop poking me!"

"_You_ are what has him stressed out. He's always been very strongly attached to you and your sister; no doubt more than a good shinobi should. Your joys are his joys, your sorrows his sorrows, your pain his pain." Kakashi shrugged. "It's one of those father things, I suppose. He's been worried about you since your accident and seems to be taking it out on everyone but you and Nyoko."

"What _did_ happen to me?"

"You're the only one who can tell us. That day you went off to do some training. When you didn't show for supper he went looking for you. He returned with you and you were covered in blood and bruises and had torn clothes. It all looked self-inflicted, but a couple of the bruises were in hard-to-reach places and too dark for that to be plausible. We know you were attacked, but not by who or what. Considering the lack of evidence, a ninja seems the only logical answer in this case."

Naruto let out a long breath and scratched his head. "I guess I'll---"

"Are you two going to stand there all night?" Hotaru called from the dining room. "Your supper's getting cold!"

Naruto spent the entirety of the meal gaping discreetly at Kakashi, since he had not done so earlier. His teacher not only did not wear a mask, but was smiling and laughing like a normal person. The man teased and cooed at Nyoko, who was positively delighted with the attention. That was not what had thrown Naruto off the most, he concluded. What had thrown him off was his teacher's eyes. This Kakashi still possessed both of his blue-grey eyes and did not bear a scar over the left. It might have been the indication of an enemy jutsu that he was looking for, but Naruto was not sure. He had never met a ninja who had not at least _heard_ of Sharingan Kakashi and seriously doubted that such a ninja actually existed.

Still, it left him at less than nothing on the Knowing-What-the-Hell-Is-Going-On scale.

_Kyuubi?_

_Shut up. I'm thinking._

He excused himself immediately after he finished eating--even managed to remember to ask for permission to leave the table--and was not entirely lying when he claimed tiredness. He wandered to his bedroom after getting lost twice and collapsed face-down on his bed with an exhausted groan. He lay there for hours, just achy enough to be unable to sleep but too tired to get up for a painkiller, assuming that he could stumble across them somewhere. He figured that if he lay there long enough the ache would dull so that he could fall asleep. This idea satisfied him--if he _did_ have a schedule it would no doubt be put off for at least a few days. He could bear to miss a few hours of sleep for the time being.

The door to his room opened after a time, but he did not move at first. Someone sat on his bed and ran a hand soothingly down his back, somehow causing him to let out a massive sigh. He would have a hard time when he went home, he decided, because he was getting used to being so well- and warmly-treated much too easily.

He lifted his head sleepily. The hand was too big to be his mother's and had calluses in all the right places for someone who used shuriken and kunai on a regular basis. "Dad . . .? Why are you still up?"

"I'm sorry. Did I wake you?"

"No, but I was on my way out. Isn't it late?"

"I was having a little trouble getting to sleep, so I took a walk around the house. I thought I'd make sure you were sleeping all right your first night back. Everything okay?"

"Just in a little pain. Probably from running around so much after being still for so long and then picking up Nyoko. Do we have any painkillers?"

"That's like asking if we wear clothes. Want me to get you something?"

"Could you show me? I need to learn my way around in case things take a while to come back to me." Or never come back at all.

So the Fourth led him to a pantry that was directly adjacent to the kitchen and retrieved the medicine from a locked cabinet high on the wall. When he placed the key atop the cabinet, Naruto commented, "That's not fair."

"It's for Nyoko," was the explanation as they left the pantry to get some water. "Several children her age died in the village after overdosing on different substances. It was a coincidence that they were so similar and so close together--they were all looked into just in case--but your mother got scared. I tried to tell her that careful monitoring and discipline would keep Nyoko safe in the same way you were, but she was adamant. So if you need anything from the cabinet you'll have to use the stool behind the flour and _don't_ let your sister see you because she's an extremely quick study and she'd figure out how to make the stool taller, which could end up worse than if she poisons herself. And speaking of poisons, be careful what you grab in there because I keep my poisons there as well, up on the higher shelves. If you knock something down and it spills, _don't_ mess with it. Just lock the cabinet, tell Aya so she doesn't get a nasty surprise, and come find me. I'll take care of it, all right?"

He shrugged and accepted the glass of water. "Okay, but I could probably clean it up by myself and save you the hassle."

"I'm sure that you could, but I'd much rather you not. I won't get angry--in fact, I'd be delighted--if you reported it to me. If you gave me details I could decide whether or not to let you clean it up. Poisons are very easy for ninja to get, especially considering who I am. They aren't impossible to replace, unlike . . . Well, it's absurdly simple to replace a poison here, like I said, so don't think that you'll have to placate me to avoid a lecture or something. I know accidents happen and it's not a big deal."

"If you say so."

He finished the water and went to his bedroom with an escort, which was good because he nearly took a wrong turn. He climbed into bed and was tucked in, a relatively new experience performed occasionally by Iruka-sensei but that could still be counted on one hand.

"Feeling any better?"

"A little. The medicine hasn't kicked in yet."

"Don't worry about knowing--it knocks you right out."

"Ooh, that sounds nice."

The Fourth chuckled. "Sounds like you're losing the battle already."

"Nuh-uh."

His father snorted softly and ordered gently, "Close your eyes."

He complied and the next thing he knew, familiar voices were speaking quietly around him. He shifted a little and realized he was lying on something firm yet soft that rose and fell and hissed in a slightly out-of-step cadence with a lightly rhythmic, dully-echoing thump. It took his half-asleep mind a moment to figure out he was hearing the heartbeat and respiration of someone very close to him--right beneath his ear, actually.

"Have you been here all night?"

"I wanted to make sure he was comfortable."

"Arashi, you could have had one of the girls do it. You need to sleep."

"I did and I'm fine. I just wanted to be sure he slept all right. I won't do it again."

Naruto knew a guilt trip when he heard one; Iruka was both a travel agent and a frequent-flier when it came to the things. He also knew the reasoning for it--Kakashi had implied it the evening before. He yawned and shifted again into a bit more comfortable position, sure he had been lying on the rounded loop of a kunai.

". . . A little restless, isn't he?"

"He's been like that all night."

"Arashi, he's too big to sleep like that."

An arm went around his lower back and a hand stroked his hair. "He's still smaller than me. And besides, he was _more_ restless when he was on the mattress. I don't have any idea what he was dreaming about, but he was quite upset about it until I moved him."

"I don't know how you could have slept like that."

"Very easily, love."

". . . Well next time _tell_ me when you decide you're going to spend the night in one of your children's rooms. I woke up and thought something had happened to you."

"Like what? There weren't any signs of a struggle."

"Arashi, that's _not_ the point. You know I'm a creature of habit--I can panic in an instant."

"Yes, yes, all right. I'm sorry. I'll leave you a note if it happens again." The arm around his back tightened and the one that had been petting him moved to support his head. His bed sat up and let out a small grunt. "Gods, he _is_ big. I remember when just two hands were more than enough. Now I think I need four." He was rolled onto his back and placed very carefully in his non-living bed. ". . . Sometimes I wish they'd be babies forever."

"Oh please no," his mother groaned and his father laughed at her. "I happen to _like_ them possessing that little trait of eventually growing up. If your wish ever comes true, _you_ will always be on diaper and laundry duty because I will _not_ do it again. I have done it twice for you and I love you and them dearly, but once around in both cases was more than enough."

He felt the covers settle at his chin and felt lips press a soft, tender kiss to his forehead. He sighed and drifted slowly back to sleep and the next time he awakened, it was because one of the many housekeepers had given him a shake.

"I'm terribly sorry to wake you, Naruto-sama, but you have a visitor in the lounge. Miss Hyuuga, I believe."

"Hinata-chan?" he murmured sleepily, before fully considering how that would sound to everyone else.

Sure enough . . .

"Sir?" the wide-eyed housekeeper squeaked.

"Never mind." He rolled out of bed and might have gone to see Hinata in his pajamas--which he would have done if he had been in his apartment--but was thinking clearly enough to decide that with circumstances being what they were, he was no longer only representing himself. He would have to think more stringently.

Stringence.

Whoa.

New thought there.

"Is it okay if I ask you to get me something to wear while I take a really quick shower?"

"Certainly, Naruto-sama! Did you have something in mind?"

"No, not part---Well, now that I think about it, can you make it something that I can train in later?"

"Yes sir!"

"Thanks." He moved to leave, but had to stop before he even reached the door. ". . . Where's the bathroom?"

Blushing brightly, she got into one of a chest of drawers and handed him a pair of boxers. Which, he concluded with an internal sigh, would be far more appropriate than wandering around a house full of women in just a towel like he had planned. It was a good thing that he had people double-checking his behavior like this. "Go to the right, then take another, and it'll be the second door on your left, Naruto-sama."

"Thanks," he repeated.

It was definitely rude to make Hinata wait, but the last bath that he had gotten was the day before he woke in the hospital. His body was still pretty clean, but that waterless shampoo should have been sent back to the drawing board. Beyond that, it was hard to say how she would behave. Taking Kakashi into account, Hinata could be a totally clingy chatterbox.

The shower was brief and as promised, clothes had been laid out on his bed for him. He was mildly relieved to see his usual disturbingly orange jumpsuit--not _everything_ had changed. He saw the housekeeper was doing some minor cleaning--his room was actually not that dirty and he doubted he had any positive involvement in that--so he decided to talk to her while he got himself dressed. Fortunately, dressing himself was something he was apparently expected to do; he doubted he could have stood still while people he barely knew touched him in places he was very defensive of.

"I noticed you didn't comment on my not knowing anything."

"Hokage-sama informed us of your condition so you would not have to."

"I see. In that case, what's your name?"

"Shinju, Naruto-sama."

"How old are you?"

"Sixteen."

He blinked. "Why are you here?"

"After Hokage-sama had rescued Lady Hotaru, the lady wanted to continue with the idea and save others like her. I am one of those, as are all of the other caretakers. Only Miss Aya and Miss Hitomi are from the village."

"Are you the only one who cleans my room?"

"Yes."

"Not that you aren't doing a good job, but why?"

"Because I'm closest to your age and Lady Hotaru thought you might appreciate it after Nyoko-sama was born. Since she was a baby then, a lot of the attention was shifted from you for a while." She shook her head. ". . . It was very hard for you to accept Nyoko-sama, because you had been an only child for so many years. I was new at the time, so you were tasked with being sure I knew my way about."

"Are we close?"

"Not particularly."

He made a mental note to rectify that. Her behavior indicated that she had never really settled down to life in the manor and she actually seemed _afraid_ of him. "Are you ever going to leave this place?"

She shook her head again, face scarlet. "Hokage-sama very generously offered to help us find husbands and some of the girls _have_ gotten married, but I'm far too shy to. This is the only place I know in Konoha."

He managed to hide a gawk of disbelief. Better mark that mental note 'urgent' . . . "What sort of education do you have, if I may?"

"I can read and write a little."

It was a place to start. He glanced at the clock. "I really have to go, but I'd like to talk to you later, okay?"

". . . Yes sir," was the startled reply.

He left, marvelling at his sudden streak of goodwill. Not that he would not have _wanted_ to help, but normally he would have read her reluctance and, because she was a stranger, not pushed the issue. The difference, he realized, was that she did not _feel_ like a stranger even though he was sure he had never met her before.

_Fascinating,_ Kyuubi murmured.

_Any ideas?_

_One, but I need to organize my thoughts. As you were--I'll explain when I work this out._

He had to seek assistance from another of the housekeepers--it was, oddly, not difficult to command that an energy drink be brought to him--to find Hinata and was relieved to see that her choice in clothes had not changed at all.

"Hinata," he greeted neutrally, deciding to let her 'explain' their relationship. "Sorry you had to wait."

She waved dismissively and sipped at some tea; the blush she usually wore when around him was completely absent. "It's all right. Father was just being anal again, so Neji-niisan and I agreed that Hanabi and I should vacate the grounds for a while. This was the first place I thought of. Your father won't mind, will he?"

"I doubt it. Hanabi's here?"

A nod. "She's playing with Nyoko-chan. I heard you were in an accident."

"Yeah. Just woke up the day before yesterday."

"Are you all right?"

"More or less. Can't remember anything before I woke up, though."

"You knew me," she offered, confused.

"But I didn't know Nyoko or Mom and I only knew Dad as the Hokage. I knew Kakashi, though. It's either there or it isn't--there's no rhyme or reason to it." That there _was_ a reason was not a clue he would share.

"Is that all that's wrong?"

"I'm not having seizures, if that's what you're asking. My memory seems to be the only thing askew so far."

"Sounds rough, all in all."

"Nah. Dad's been great, making sure I've been comfortable and stuff. It's been kind of strange to be pampered, but nice at the same time."

Hinata leaned in like a true gossip and said in a low voice, "You know, the whole village was in an uproar when you were brought to the hospital. When word spread about your condition and how upset the Hokage was, all of the available ninja searched through the village and the forest--everywhere but in the sky. Of course, they had no idea who or what was responsible, but they went out anyway. It was a sight to see."

He thought she was joking and nearly told her that the village would never do anything in regards to him unless it was some kind of demon hunt. It occurred to him where he was, though, and he shut his mouth.

The village cared about him, even if it was only as the Hokage's son.

That was a new thought, too.

"E . . . Excuse me . . . Naruto-sama?"

Both turned toward the door and he tilted his head. "Yes, Shinju?"

"Please forgive the interruption, but the training grounds have been swept and secured."

"They have?" Of course, it would only be expected that he would be treated so carefully, especially with the one who attacked him still at large. "Oh, all right. Thank you." She bowed and left and he turned toward Hinata. "Want to train?"

"Sure. Let me tell Hanabi." They found her still with Nyoko and Hitomi, who promised to watch her until Hinata's return. "I'll never understand why babies fascinate her so much," Hinata mused as they headed down to the training grounds. Her head suddenly jerked downward, tucking her chin near her chest, and she asked warily, ". . . Are we being followed?"

Naruto paused and sniffed at the air. "Yeah. There're two." He turned slightly and raised his voice to the empty path and trees. "Whoever had miso needs to be more careful--it smells like you spilled half the bowl on yourself."

Only silence answered, but by the changes in the previously neutral air to the conflicting sensations of amusement and annoyance, he knew they had heard him.

**

* * *

**

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

****

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

As for Nyoko's mischief-making skills, my mother has a little saying that she swears applies to both babies and animals: "If there's a way it can kill itself, it'll find it." I don't know about babies, having none of my own and having not been around anyone else's (their crying makes me crazy), but it seems to hold true for animals, of which I've had over forty in the course of my life (the tally of pets I currently have stands at twenty-three).

---

Aaahh! What have I done to Hinata and Hanabi?! They're _opposites_! Well, I always wondered what Hinata would be like if she was little more confident. Unfortunately, she doesn't have a big role. weeps

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Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	3. Lunch Break

**Author's Note:** The introduction of two of my most favorite characters! And no, it's not the Uchihas. While they're interesting, they're still both just a pair of self-absorbed pricks to me, of which I've know far too many in my school life (good thing _that's_ over . . .). However, for you fans out there, they actually have a considerable--and _noble_--role in this fic. Go fig.

This is actually, looking back on it, a pretty short chapter and not particularly plot-heavy. If there's enough interest (read: reviews at _least_ saying "Yeah, please post chapter four early") I'll post chapter four on Wednesday like I did with chapter two. It's not like anyone (I'm talking to you people who read this and then don't even look in my direction) has any excuse to _not_ leave a review saying so if they want it--I've set things up to accept anonymous reviews from the beginning. I'm not asking for your firstborn, just an acknowledgement that there's interest. Hell, copy and paste what I have in the first set of parentheses, just _say something_! And not even for me! For your fellow readers!

I promise I won't take any of my fics hostage just for reviews (that's an extremely childish thing to do), but the more reviews I get the more likely I am to post more often, no matter how big a buffer I think I need, because I'm a sap and the more you plead the worse I'll feel about making you wait for a whole week.

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 2,083

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 1/6/07

**Disclaimer:** Let me check my records . . . Nope, haven't purchased media rights recently . . .

**Claimer:** Genko, Byakko, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything related to them is mine.

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Three - Lunch Break

* * *

The village did not appear to have changed a lot, but Naruto was glad for it. He had taken Hinata back home to be with Hanabi for the duration of lunch and was currently wandering the village streets alone--if being shadowed by bodyguards could be called alone. He was currently on his way to Ichiraku's for lunch and looking for other people he might see on his way--people he knew. He did not expect to be involved in a head-on collision, though considering how he was looking everywhere but where he was going it was inevitable.

"I'm sorry," came a familiar voice. "I---Oh, Naruto-sama! I'm glad to see you're in good health! I hope you're healing well?"

"Yes, thank you." He straightened and tried not to gawk. ". . . Sasuke?"

Fortunately, the other boy mistook the question completely. "Yes, Naruto-sama."

_It **is** Sasuke._

However, he was not the Sasuke Naruto knew. This one had his Sharingan active--though it was still immature--and did not seem the least bit affected by it. He was dressed in the uniform of the Konoha military police and carried himself with the confidence of experience rather than the arrogance of assumed superiority. In other words, he looked human.

Like a normal ninja.

Most notably, though, he was _smiling_. Not that super smug-assed, smirky, holier-than-thou smile, but a _real_ smile that actually reached his eyes and made them not so creepy to see. He looked much more friendly and approachable; all in all, someone Naruto thought he would want to hang out with.

Call it morbid curiosity.

Behind Sasuke stood . . . ". . . Itachi?"

The elder brother bowed. "Naruto-sama."

_He doesn't . . . **seem** psychotic . . ._

Itachi was also dressed in the military police uniform. He and Sasuke were probably on patrol, the former teaching the latter how things worked. His Sharingan was active as well, but it was as warm and open as Sasuke's.

They looked _strange_, behaving like normal people.

"Naruto-sama?"

He twitched slightly, drawn from his musings, and returned his attention to Sasuke. With a class that he could never remember possessing before, he said, "I'm sorry. Since my accident I've had some memory problems and a lot of what I see is new to me--you two are way different from how I remember you." He shook his head. "But I'm keeping you from your duties, aren't I? Please continue."

"Are you sure, Naruto-sama? If you're having trouble, we would be happy to escort you somewhere."

"I appreciate your concern, but I already have . . ." He lifted his head and shifted his eyes to the surrounding rooftops. ". . . friends. I'll be fine."

They nodded and bowed and went on their way. He watched a civilian stop them and say something that caused both to laugh good-naturedly, and watched them bully a pack of civilian boys who had stolen a sobbing girl's doll. Returning the doll rewarded them with enthusiastic hugs that they gave back without hesitation.

Human indeed.

He headed off again, seeing another familiar face almost immediately. "Iruka-sensei!"

_There_ was someone who would never change.

The chuunin smiled. "Naruto-sama."

"Eaten yet? Want to? My treat!" Without waiting for an answer, he all but dragged his Academy teacher to Ichiraku's, put in an order for them, and spent the entire meal blabbering--and it _was_ blabbering, no matter how controlled it was--about nothing and everything. Iruka just nodded patiently and slurped his noodles and after roughly half an hour, Naruto gaped at a nearby clock. Practically inhaling the last of his third bowl, he scrambled quickly to his feet and tossed the proper coinage onto the counter. "Thanks for listening, Iruka-sensei! You were a big help! I gotta go--bye!"

Iruka watched him go bemusedly, his cheeks puffed full of noodles. When the blond head was out of sight, he noticed that his personal space was being invaded, but he did not turn. Only another ninja would dare to stand that near and few of them could get past his senses.

"I had no idea you and Naruto were so close."

"Neither did I," Iruka replied, swallowing and stirring the contents of his bowl absently with his chopsticks. "This is the first time I've really seen him since he graduated."

"You're telling me he just randomly chose you from a crowd of people?"

"Apparently not, considering his behavior, but yes, essentially."

"He's been behaving oddly since he woke after his accident."

Iruka looked at his companion, uneasy. ". . . You don't think . . ."

"Nah. Or if so, it's an extremely crappy job."

"It might be purposeful, to quietly antagonize the Hokage."

". . . Possible, but doubtful. Still, it's worth looking into. And since he seems so attached to you, you can help. Just don't be obvious about it. I think the Hokage has his own suspicions, but he's understandably reluctant to act on them. If he catches you heckling I have no doubt he'd gut you in an instant, especially if you pressure the boy so much that he cries."

"The fact that he wasn't my teacher doesn't mean I'm oblivious. His maternity is almost as legendary as his fighting skills."

"If you knew even _half_ of it, you wouldn't say 'almost'," came the dark chuckle.

"What can I say? You over-dramatize so often I never know when you're being serious."

"Then trust that I'm being honest when I say the stories don't even scratch the surface. He acts like _he_ was the one who carried them for nine months and gave birth to them."

". . . Are you sure he's a man?"

"If he isn't he's the most masculine, flat-chested, pelvically well-endowed woman I've ever met."

Iruka looked as though he had just bitten into a particularly ripe lemon and glared around at the other. "You could have just said 'yes'."

The other's grin was sadistic. "Oh, but the faces you make are far more fun!"

Iruka's expression soured even further, if it was possible, but he was smart enough not to start another battle of wits. "So how did he get to be Hokage if he's like that?"

The other pretended to think on it, then said, "Have you ever seen a bear sow when she feels her cubs are threatened?"

". . . Oh."

"Yeah."

"Is that how they got him over that 'no exhibition fights' thing?"

"Bingo."

"That's cruel."

"That's exactly what Hotaru said. Called it betrayal and refused to help, but that made it more authentic when Naruto's kidnapping was reported---Are you taking _notes_?"

"You know I'm a terrible brown-noser. I need to know what not to say. Please continue."

"Well, they had somebody dress up like a nukenin to challenge him. The idea was that he would be so panicked and distraught about it that he would confront his opponent openly and not risk harming Naruto."

"Sounds like reasonable planning. Any ninja with a child is also a parent and if they have even the barest crumb of affection for the child, the parent mentality will completely take over if only for a short period of time. That's why it's so dangerous for a ninja to have children; they're exploitable weaknesses. I can understand the council's logic, though I don't agree with it in the slightest. They wanted leverage."

"Except that they made a severe miscalculation. They expected a protective, frightened father and not a protective, furious one. They wanted him hysterical, not focused. Fortunately, the fake nukenin had thought to protect his vital areas with light weights. If he hadn't . . . As it was, blood ended up covering the arena. I can't even describe what happened, it was so incredible. It's on video file, I'm sure, but I don't know where or under what label. I made a copy of it before it got locked up--use it to study Sensei's style, though he's definitely not as aggressive or devious under normal circumstances. If you want to see it, come by sometime."

"I think I will. What happened to the supposed nukenin?"

"Him? Oh, he nearly bought it. Had no idea what to do, since the original plan had been rendered obsolete instantly. Thought Sensei had lost his mind---"

"You don't have to sound so damn _cheerful_ about it."

"If you had let me finish, you'd understand."

"Then finish."

"As I was saying, the not-nukenin thought Sensei had his wires crossed and was worried Naruto would get hurt by accident. He started a defensive retreat, ducking in to offer himself as a shield when he thought the strikes came too close. _Then_--- . . . When Naruto was in the Academy, did you see him really _working_ on something? He'd drop his head and stop blinking and his pupils would dilate and his irises would turn this extremely intense shade of electric blue?"

That was . . . random.

". . . _Yes_," Iruka drawled cautiously.

"That's inherited. And when it's turned on you, you feel completely cornered even in a wide-open area. Jiraiya-sama said it's like being stalked by a tiger and I have to agree."

"What relevance does that have?"

"You're so impatient! The relevance is that the not-nukenin noticed that Sensei's focus was entirely on Naruto because Naruto was the wild card, not to deliberately aim a strike at him. Sensei could let his instinct take care of a one-armed ninja, but if Naruto flailed unexpectedly he could have been hurt. So the not-nukenin took a chance and put Naruto right in the path of attack. Sensei shifted and redirected his lunge, but it was enough of a hesitation that the not-nukenin let Naruto go and ran for it. It took a lot of ANBU to keep Sensei under control until things could be explained to him."

"Let me guess," Iruka offered dryly. "He was utterly _thrilled_ with their genius."

"Something like that. He swore that if they made him Hokage he'd force all of them to retire and replace them with 'something more human, like starving lions.'"

"And they elected him anyway?"

"They couldn't deny his skill and drive. But after announcing their choice they decided to retire on their own terms."

"Mm. Smart. And as interesting a tale as that was, the point is . . .?"

"The point is that there's a moral and the moral of the story is that if you intentionally upset Naruto or Nyoko or--gods forbid--_both_ of them, Sensei will _come after you_ and string you from the Monument by your _small intestines_."

"Hm. I forgot how talk of maiming entertains you. Can't be healthy."

"Probably not, but since I've been living on junk food upon reaching adulthood, I doubt it'll take too many more years off my life." A pause. "Oops! Ha ha, late again!"

Iruka groaned.

"I have to go. By the way, the whole reason I came here was to tell you that we have a meeting with Sensei tomorrow morning around eight. Come in costume."

'Around eight', Iruka knew, was simply Foiling Kakashi Code for 'around ten'. Providing Kakashi with two hours of leeway--even though he did not know he was getting it--would ensure that he was actually only late by half an hour to forty-five minutes. It supplied the added benefit of keeping Kakashi from backing up the entire village's administration processes too terribly by sharing his casual nature with the world.

"Tomorrow at eight, in costume. Gotcha." Iruka made a mental note to remind the Fourth of his New Year's resolution to let Obito have it for starting the vile trend of outrageous tardiness and then encouraging Kakashi--best friend or not--to play along. He bent over his bowl, but only briefly. ". . . Hey . . . _Hey_ . . ."

"Bye!" Kakashi chirped, vanishing.

"You bastard!" Iruka howled. "How dare you tell me a story like that and then expect me to walk into his office with a straight face!"

There was no answer--not that he expected one--and he finished off his lunch slowly, as there was still plenty of time to get back to the Academy. He finally set the bowl aside, savoring his free meal, and got up to leave. He took just three steps before pausing and looking back at the empty bowl curiously. Shrugging, he continued on his way. He _did_ have some stray papers left floating around to grade, after all.

"I wonder how he knew that pork is my favorite . . ."

**

* * *

**

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

****

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

How about Sasuke? First Hinata's not afraid of Naruto, now Sasuke's being cordial. Do you think he would have turned out to be more polite (not necessarily to Naruto, but overall) if Itachi hadn't stabbity-stabbed all of their relatives?

---

Iruka has a not-really-a-secret! Though I don't expect that canon-Iruka is anything more than a normal chuunin, it tickles me to read those types of fics where he's also ANBU/otherwise elite. Since I had the opportunity, I went and upgraded him for my own entertainment! He doesn't have a big role, which sucks (I heart Iruka), but he has a nice cameo or two.

---

Before anyone kindly tries to correct me, I already know that I used 'maternal' in reference to the Fourth, who is not a woman (or, at least, that's what the other characters have implied so far--wouldn't that be wild if he were?!). I meant to use it.

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Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	4. Reasoning

**Author's Note:** All right, I give _again_. You people are pretty persuasive. (That, or I'm more desperate than I thought I was.) It is now the moment you've all been waiting for--the theory as to how Naruto has ended up in this other world!

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 3,827

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 1/10/07

**Disclaimer:** Don't. Even. Ask.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byakko, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything related to them is mine.

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Four - Reasoning

* * *

". . . I love you, Aya."

She laughed. "Go on and get your medicine, Naruto-sama, and your breakfast will be ready when you return."

He shuffled into the pantry, retrieved the stool from behind the flour, and reached the key that would offer his aching body relief. He took the painkillers dry, looking thoughtfully over the store of poisons there. The knowledge could just come in handy one day. It would also be a good idea, he decided firmly as he locked the cabinet and put the key and then the stool away, to keep his mother away from it. She was certainly capable of being careful, but accidents could happen and some of the poisons did not require ingestion or injection to cause illness or death.

"Here you go, hon. Don't be rambunctious, all right?"

"Promise. I hurt too much."

"Well, dear, you shouldn't have worked so hard after three weeks of stillness." He did not bother to tell her it was the only way his stamina would improve. "Honestly, sometimes you're so smart it's frightening and other times I simply can't believe how . . ."

He grinned. "Stupid I am?"

"Not _stupid_, just _thoughtless_. You're young and resilient, but not _that_ resilient."

He shrugged. "They say you only learn by doing and I've definitely learned . . ."

"Good."

". . . to leave before you start lecturing!"

"Why you---!" She swatted half-heartedly at him with the ladle and it was easy to dodge despite the pain he was in. "Scamp!"

He laughed and hugged her, then hopped away. "Thanks, Aya!"

_So what are we doing today?_ Kyuubi asked as he left the house.

_Dunno. I guess we can go check on 'Dad'. See what he's up to._

_He_ _**is** your father._

_Yeah, I---_

_No, seriously._

Naruto processed that, then growled. _Don't piss with me, Fox-bastard._

_Oh, but if only it were that simple, little rat. I'll explain if you promise to not interrupt me with inane questions._

_Deal._

He sensed Kyuubi shifting, as if settling into a bed like a cat. _When a living being is offered a choice, thousands upon thousands of possible outcomes will become open, forming parallel universes. This happens even with something as simple as whether or not you choose to brood about being lonely. And while you yourself may choose **not** to brood, there was another version of you who chose **to** brood. Both choices opened a set of entirely new and completely different lines of possibility, thus creating unexplored universes that the Narutos who chose differently from you now live in. Each of these universes is unique by a single choice made, and they then overlap with the choices of others to form a stable universe agreeable to all._

Naruto frowned. _. . . I don't . . ._

_It is difficult,_ Kyuubi confessed, _for even one such as myself to completely comprehend. I do not expect you to fully understand._

_I think I get the gist, though. You're saying we're in one of these parallel universes?_

_Yes._

_It's not an enemy jutsu or a dream?_

_It does not appear so--far too complex as far as simply distracting you for information--and I do not have power beyond observation and vague influence in your dreams._

_. . . So the Fourth Hokage . . . really is my . . . my father?_

_In every universe in which you were born, yes._

Naruto had to stop and sit down. It was too much. He . . . had family. After so many years of being just 'that fox' and 'that nuisance', he had . . . family. After all those years of dodging thrown garbage and rotten foods . . . He was practically royalty! The village _revered_ the Fourth--how could they . . .? Why would they . . .?

_Fear and prejudice overcome competent thought._

_No shit,_ he muttered darkly. He shook himself and got to his feet. There would be time for ruminating later. _So . . . Damn it, this is overwhelming . . . So how, exactly, did we **get** here, if this is a **parallel** universe?_

_The universes physically overlap on occasion, where someone's choice has the potential to affect another universe. This overlap can be twenty of your years old and as long as it exists it creates . . . **thin spots** in the dimensional barrier between the universes, making it easy to cross over if one knows how._

_Except that I don't._

_Nor do I, as it never interested me prior. That's the likeliest explanation for your three weeks of unconsciousness. I checked your procedural memory and as bad as your injuries were, there's no way the injuries your body received caused it._

_**Procedural** memory?_

_One might call it the memory of the body. For example, when one truly loses his memory, in a case where there is little brain injury he can still speak, write, read, and swim. It is why so many amnesiatic ninja still retain all of their skills even if they can't consciously remember how to utilize them._

_You mean instincts?_

_Urgh. Please. Don't cheapen the grandness of instincts. Comparing them is comparing apples and oranges. Both are fruits, but that is where the similarity ends. Instincts are the senses and the four basic emotions--happiness, sadness, anger, fear; they are things you are born with even if you can't define them at first. Procedural memory is learned behaviors; things that **seem** like instincts._

_I see. And did this body memory tell you how we got here?_

_Not directly. However, three weeks ago this body was viciously attacked by someone with a killing intent. There was great fear and much pain and at some point there was an impact with something hard. It had life energy, so I assume that it was a tree. The impact with the tree was followed almost instantly by a second impact from behind. There was a swell of demonic chakra, which I must also assume was mine---_

_You don't_ _**know**?_

_Boy, this body is disgusting. Were we in your original body, I could have given you the name of the tree that was involved. As things currently stand, with such a woefully out-of-shape body, vague details are all I can offer._

_Yeah, this body sucks. Go on._

_The demonic chakra overloaded the body and much of it was physically released because of a lack of control._

_That would explain your condition._

_So it would seem. The killing intent was frightened off by the discharge of chakra, which was good because by then the body was . . . what's your term for it? 'Fried'? Yes, the amount and strength of the chakra had almost completely wiped out the body's existence. I believe it was only your presence that saved it._

_About that . . . Where's this . . . other me? In **my** body?_

_With me, in a little golden cage. I discovered him after checking the procedural memory. He's not unconscious, but impotent._ This was followed by an amused, _And very, very angry, the silly child._

_How did_ _**I** end up in control of **his** body?_

_Probably my sudden entrance had knocked his consciousness off balance and then you showed up. From what I've observed, you are the stronger and more dominant personality and that won you control. But because he is awake, you are subject to his behaviors. This is surely the reason why you took so easily to having a family._ There was a pause. _Yes, that's exactly right, you little nuisance--he's an orphan where he comes from. May that knowledge let you appreciate your family more than you have so far._

Naruto looked up and realized he was standing in front of the administrative building. With a soft sigh he pushed open the door and stepped inside, passing half a dozen checkpoints to get to his father. Each time he was greeted with a nod and a quiet, "Naruto-sama."

"Is it okay if I go in?"

The final secretary checked a schedule. "No one's with him now, so you can try, but he was saying some rough things not long ago."

"Thanks." He opened the door a little and poked his head in. "Dad?"

The Hokage looked up and smiled warmly. "Hi there, Little Fox. What brings you here?"

"Pain." He noticed his father's concern immediately and hurried to elaborate. "It's not like that. I was practicing with Hinata yesterday and overworked myself. When I got up this morning . . . Well, it wasn't pleasant."

"You took something for it?"

"Couldn't wait to," he confirmed. "Aya made me a sandwich and I drifted up here. You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course not. There's a chair in the corner if you want it and that big pillow's in the closet if you happen to get tired."

". . . Dad?"

Somehow, it had become easier to call him that. Maybe hearing the truth made it less of a self-preservation tactic and more the parental designation that it was. He did not have to say it because it would prevent suspicion from being directed at him, he could say it because it was pure, plain fact.

The Yondaime Hokage was his father.

"Yes?"

"Dad, I . . . Three weeks ago . . ."

Up until that point, his father had been focused more on the stack of papers on the desk. Naruto had not minded, since this _was_ an office and he could not reasonably expect to have the entirety of his father's attention. He would not make a demand for attention--just being there was enough for him.

However, upon hearing the topic of conversation the Fourth's brush stopped moving atop the paper and his eyes lifted to Naruto's. "Do you remember something?"

". . . No, not really."

"Naruto, nobody knows anything of what happened except you and the one who attacked you. Even the slightest, most insignificant detail will help."

"Well . . ."

_It was a ninja._

_How do you know?_

_I've been studying the memory. No civilian, no matter how bloodthirsty, has that kind of focus at his disposal._

"It was a ninja," he reported obediently.

His father sighed. "I was afraid of that. Anything else?"

". . . No. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You were a big help."

Skeptical, he asked, "How was that helpful?"

"Well, now I don't have to assume that everyone who looks at you cross-eyed wants you dead. Confirming that it was a ninja greatly narrows my search. If you remember anything else, let me know, okay? But don't try to force it."

"Okay." Naruto dragged the pillow from the closet and placed it just to the side of and behind the Fourth's chair to be near but not in the way. He settled on it, noting something very soothing about his father's presence before turning his attention completely inward. Despite his usual awareness of his surroundings, he did not notice the ANBU who appeared in the window and who was joined over half an hour later by another ANBU, nor did he notice the conversation between them and the Hokage that followed.

_Hey, Kyuubi, can you get anything else out of that other me?_

_According to him, he has much to share with you. It seems that what he lacks in practical combat skills he makes up for with considerable skill in strategy and reconnaissance. You will be provided with great detail._

_Let me have it._

Really, he probably should not have said it that way. The memories came in a rush that he could not sort quickly enough. Desperate to not miss anything important, he tugged urgently on the Fourth's overcoat, his eyes distant. ". . . Dad . . ."

"In a minute, Naruto."

". . . _Dad_ . . ."

"_Naruto_ . . ."

It would not wait. "Dad, he . . . he wasn't dressed like a ninja."

There was a pause, followed by, "I'm listening."

"I can't . . . I can't remember what he was wearing, but it definitely wasn't anything a ninja would wear and it wasn't something that anybody from Fire Country would wear. He . . . He . . ." The fear was finally catching up with the images. "I . . . I couldn't get away. I wanted to go to the house, but Mom and Nyoko were there, and I wanted to go to you, but I couldn't do that either and---"

"Whoa, whoa, calm down." Naruto allowed himself to be pulled up into his father's lap. "Take it easy. You're safe."

The unspoken "I'm here," was crystal clear to Naruto and his whole world collapsed. He would not cry, no, but he did let himself hide childishly in the tall coat collar, his tightly-closed eyes resting against the comfortingly warm skin of someone who did not want him hurt, who wanted him around, who loved him unconditionally. It was a pathetically alien feeling, but one he feared he could get used to far, far too easily. Feeling wanted, appreciated, loved, and having a family . . . It was overpowering.

"Why couldn't you come to me?"

He nuzzled closer and mumbled, "You're the Hokage and I'm a shinobi. It's my duty to protect you."

The Fourth sighed and hugged his son more securely. _It's wrong that the Hokage's own flesh and blood should be so prepared to die just because of that._

". . . Do you remember anything else?"

Naruto shuddered involuntarily and wiped an escaping tear off on his father's coat. ". . . No, I . . . He smelled."

"Smelled?"

"Like wet earth. Like a forest after a storm."

Arashi rubbed his trembling son's back. _Twelve is not an age when a child should have to worry about death, ninja or not._ "All right, that's enough. Stop dwelling on it."

Naruto obeyed, settling against his father while Arashi returned to his conversation with the two ANBU who had been waiting patiently to be re-addressed. Upon finishing his orders, Arashi leaned in toward his desk to sign the scroll they needed, keeping a supporting arm around his son to prevent pulling on the back of his neck. Much calmer and ever curious, Naruto twisted in to see what was going on. Arashi simply tilted his head to the side to make room for Naruto's in a typically parental fashion, his focus more on the scroll he was signing than the picture he was creating by being cheek-to-cheek with a near carbon-copy of himself.

He did not, however, miss the soft snicker or the click of a camera shutter. Naruto jumped slightly and he flinched in response, his automatic reaction to neutralize whatever had startled his offspring.

"Ow."

He glared at the dog-masked ANBU. "I don't know how Dolphin puts up with you."

"It's a gift," Dolphin explained dryly.

"What did I do?" Dog whined.

"You took an unsolicited picture!"

"I'll give you a copy!"

"You know better than to take a picture in _here_, of all places! I might have something exposed that enemies could use to their advantage!"

"You know I'm careful. There's nothing in the picture that gives away anything other than the fact that you're a devoted father and believe me, that's not a secret."

"You better hope you're right or I'll have you strung up by your spinal cord."

"Come on, since when have I been wrong?"

"Are you _really_ interested in discovering how numerous and glaring your mistakes are?"

"You're cruel."

"It's my job."

"You need a vacation."

"Vacation? What is this 'vacation' you speak of? Oh, yes, I remember. It's one of those things that I would have taken months ago if circumstances were more in my favor. But I'm the Hokage--I don't _get_ vacations."

Dog sighed. "Fine. Be that way. May we go?"

"Pick up that brush and I'll finish signing this."

"You shouldn't have thrown it in the first place."

"One of the perks of being Hokage is having the right to pitch fits like a three-year-old and forcing innocent bystanders to coddle me in my fragile state of mind. Besides, aren't dogs supposed to be loyal and _obedient_?"

Dog tilted his head. ". . . Hotaru isn't . . .?"

"No. Or at least she hasn't mentioned it to me. But what would it be to you if she was? Would you have an admission to make about it?"

"_You're_ the one who usually throws mood swings like a pregnant woman."

Something that sounded suspiciously like laughter came from Dolphin's direction.

". . . Next time," Arashi promised genially, "I'll be sure to throw something other than my brush. My fist, perhaps? Or your head?"

Dog leaned on the desk, well within strike range. "I'm not afraid of you."

Dolphin made a strangled noise and moved as if to pull Dog away, but then seemed to think better of it and stayed still.

"Of course not. Fear is a sign of intelligence, which you have just proven is a trait that you don't possess." He finished signing the scroll, sealed it, and gave it to Dolphin. "Have fun, kiddies."

The two moved to the window and Dolphin hissed, "You are _out of your mind_! He was _this close_ to killing you!"

"Oh, he likes it."

"If you keep doing this, I'm not taking assignments with you anymore. I happen to _like_ having all my body parts attached, thank you very much."

They vanished from his sight and hearing then, and that was when Arashi discovered that Naruto had stressed himself to sleep. He maneuvered the large pillow up to his desk and very carefully--very awkwardly--situated his son on it. Naruto grew restless almost right away, but a few well-placed strokes to his head and back calmed him quickly. Arashi returned to the day's work, glad that he did not have to wonder what Naruto was getting into with an uncertain span of memory. Having him there also brought back fond recollections of when his son had been a toddler and begged to be allowed to go to the office with him, how the boy's excitement caught up within an hour and he would get the pillow out--its size dwarfing Naruto almost comically--and leave the child there to sleep the tiredness away.

There were other times Naruto had slept on the pillow--instances Arashi wished he could forget. The smaller blond's strangest quirk had been the art of escape and almost every time he got free he had gone outside and fallen on rocks or into thistles or, however he managed it, out of a tree. After an indeterminable time of walking around the area, he would stagger into the office with a bloody face and bloody clothes, sobbing his bright blue eyes out. Arashi had healed him, cleaned him up, and comforted him as he exhausted himself, then placed him on the pillow when he finally slept.

"What could you possibly be thinking so deeply on with a pile that high still remaining to be worked on?"

Arashi turned to the other chairs sharply, startled, then sighed. Few people could sneak up on him so easily, after all. "Sarutobi-sensei. I didn't hear you come in."

"I noticed," was the amused reply. "And why not?"

"I was thinking . . . about being a father."

"Not necessarily the best topic to dwell on away from the home."

"It's all I've been able to think about for the past month."

"How is Naruto?"

Arashi looked down at his son. "All right, all things considered."

"Which is just a euphemism for something being wrong that you can't explain. Don't look at me like that--I'm a father, too."

"I . . . He's changed."

"And this has no explanation?"

"None. Hotaru had fourteen different doctors look at him and not a single one of them found anything wrong with him. They still haven't. But . . . something's definitely wrong. He knew I was the Hokage, but not that I was his father. He didn't recognize Hotaru or Nyoko at all, but he knows Kakashi and Iruka quite well. According to his guards, he seemed to recognize Itachi and Sasuke Uchiha, but not as allies. He seemed surprised at Sasuke's behavior and was almost _afraid_ of Itachi."

". . . I can see why you're worried."

"That's not all."

"Oh?"

"Yes, here."

His predecessor rose--the man's appearance belying the spry, well-honed ninja within--and moved around the desk to see Naruto sprawled indelicately across the huge pillow, snoozing obliviously.

"I haven't mentioned this to Hotaru because I don't want to get her upset. _Kai_."

The Third peered at the revealed marks. "They look like tattoos."

"That's what I thought as well, but none of the parlors here confessed and Naruto himself said they weren't tattoos."

"Then what are they?"

"I . . . haven't asked."

"Arashi, it could be dangerous."

"If that were true, something would have happened already."

"Don't be foolish, Arashi. I know that you don't want to think anything's wrong, but you have to consider that possibility. This might not even be your son."

Arashi frowned at his sleeping firstborn and sought another answer. "I know, but . . . If he isn't, I . . . He's not important enough to be replaced. Not for information gathering. Hotaru would be a much better choice."

"But replacing Naruto would do exactly what's going on now--upset you and make you unwilling to consider him a threat."

"He's my _son_!" Arashi cried. "How could I . . . if he were . . .?"

Naruto's body jolted at his shout. ". . . Dad? Ever'thin' okay?"

Arashi sighed. "Everything's fine, Naruto. I'm sorry I woke you."

"Call me 'f you need back-up."

"I will."

Just that quickly, Naruto was asleep again.

After a moment, Sarutobi said, "I was only being realistic, Arashi. You must be prepared. It may sound cold of me, but you can always have another child."

Arashi snorted. "Not if I have to . . ." A lump formed in his throat, preventing him from speaking. He swallowed and went on with, "I won't. I never intended to have children in the first place for this precise reason. I told you that ages ago, before I took this post. No . . . Naruto and Nyoko are the only ones I'll risk my sanity on. Should anything happen to either of them, I won't even _attempt_ to replace them. Nothing--no one--can."

He looked down at Naruto, saw the boy sleeping with his stomach and throat exposed--one of the most vulnerable and trusting positions a ninja could adopt. He reached down and ran his fingers over the tender, slightly tanned skin of his son's neck, pausing at the obvious pulse of the life-carrying carotid artery. _To think I might have to . . ._ He shook his head fiercely, but the painful blood-filled image remained.

"Parents should not outlive their children."

Sarutobi inclined his head, but made no other reply.

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

Did that explanation of how Naruto ended up where he is make any sense? At all? It makes sense to me, of course, but _I_ was the one who wrote it. If not, I'll try to come up with something with more . . . sense, I guess.

---

Forgive Naruto's sissiness--it's not his fault. Well, not directly. Technically, it _is_ his fault because the other him _is_ such a sissy, but . . . Never mind. You understand.

---

Damn the Third and his subtle implications! He should have just hit the Fourth in the head with a baseball bat and said, "Face it, kid, you son's showing signs of possession." But if he did that, there would be no story, now would there?

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	5. Suspicion

**Author's Note:** Chapter five is here! For those of you who have been waiting for Jiraiya, rejoice! He makes his entrance in this chapter, and (at first) you get to see a less perverted side than normal. Enjoy!

I keep forgetting to mention this, but for anyone who's interested in a sequel to **_Close Encounters_**, I want to report that such a sequel _is_ in the works and it's definitely going to be longer than its predecessor (yes, I've already written some of it). I make _**NO**_ promises as to when I'll be able to post it. I would _like_ to have it done and posted before the end of the month, but I won't say for sure either way. I just wanted to let you all know that there _is_ one on the way.

Just a little annoyed sidenote: I finally understand why some authors are always pleading for reviews. Currently, I have a little over 3,200 total hits and will likely have closer to 3,300 by the time you read this. I have _almost_ sixty reviews, each of which I read and savor with a thankful heart (even if I am not able to reply to all of them), no matter how detailed or fangirlish. To those of you who _have_ reviewed, even if only one chapter, this sidenote is not intended for you in any capacity and I ask that you excuse me for taking up so much space, but I felt this needed to be said. For the _rest_ of you, however . . . Even taking accidental clickage (it happens to the best of us), reading-and-disliking, reading-and-feeling-neutral, and using-chapter-one-link-to-get-to-chapter-whatever into account, there is _no way_ that _only_ fifty or fifty-five people like this fic _that_ much that they would come back seventy or more times each in four days to read the same thing over and over and over again, no matter how well it's written.

Even subtracting the chapter one hits from the rest of the count, that's _still_ 1,703 hits. Is the remaining sixteen-hundred-something a group of illiterate monkeys clicking links at random? Why aren't you people taking _two seconds_ to at _least_ write something as simple as, "Squee for (character)-sama!!" or "More soon, please," or "It was a good chapter," for _one_ chapter in a _whole story_ when the authors who are putting in so much effort for _you_ are spending anywhere from four hours to _three weeks_ or more writing these fics for your ungrateful and demanding childishness? Then I bet you have the nerve to wonder why some of your favorite stories are abandoned. Not all authors write for reviews of worship (though no author, whatever his or her preference for review content, would ever turn them away), but those who do . . . No interest equals no interest. The author in question sees _no reason_ to care about updating when _you_ don't care enough to review. If the author doesn't accept anonymous reviews, that's one thing--as long as you _try_. If you're signed in, though, you have _no excuse whatsoever_. That's mere insolent laziness and any admiration for something _you_ enjoy doing should be taken from you until you understand that.

I, personally, am posting online for concrit and interaction with fellow writers and fans who care enough and have the good manners to speak up. How many reviews I do or don't get doesn't bother me--I simply used myself as an example because I'm the only one I have stats for. But not all writers are as secure in their talents and they need to be _supported_ if you want them to keep working. Otherwise, you have no right to even so much as open your mouth when they give up in the middle of something you were enjoying. So _review_ for these authors if you like their stuff or I can guarantee that, eventually, there will never be anything for you to read.

. . . There. Sermon over.

For now, anyway.

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 3,620

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 1/13/07

**Disclaimer:** Hm . . . Wait for it . . . Wait for it . . . Nope. Not this time.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byakko, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine.

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Five - Suspicion

* * *

Naruto groaned softly and woke to find himself snuggled into the large pillow. Sighing, he stretched like a lazy cat and blinked sleepily at the far wall. The pain medication was starting to wear off and the dull throb of his untrained body was beginning to exact vengeance for being ignored. With a yawn he sat up, noting belatedly the fabric that fell into his lap.

It was a short-sleeved white overcoat and the length of the hem was decorated with curls of bright red flame. Red embroidery on the back read, "Yondaime Hokage".

Fourth Generation Fire Shadow.

". . . Dad?"

His father was not in the office, so he got up and headed for the door, carrying the coat with him like a security blanket. His main intention for this was to take Kyuubi's advice and not waste the fox's sense of smell. His purpose: to memorize his family's scents. When he eventually returned to his own body, he was taking those scents with him. He would need them, he was sure, when he was back where he belonged.

"Dad?" he called a bit louder, drawing on the coat.

"_Naruto_!"

He knew that tone of voice, even though he had never heard it from that specific person before. He was in trouble. His eyes and mouth automatically opened to protest whatever he was being accused of, but before he could speak his brain registered the danger. Adrenalin overran his pain and he lunged for the nearest safe location.

Arashi dashed to his office, his heart in his throat. He knew exactly how many kunai had been thrown and after Naruto's appearance one had been missing. To Arashi it had barely been rib-height, but for a shorter person like Naruto . . . Skidding through the doorway, he followed the hanging hem of his coat up to the ceiling, where Naruto crouched with wary ease. Startled, Arashi momentarily forgot what had led to the situation in favor of complete incomprehension--Naruto did not possess that kind of chakra control.

. . . Did he?

Storing the observation in the 'Strange Naruto Behaviors' corner, Arashi reached up for him. "Naruto? Naruto, come down." The boy might have spoken if he had not been holding a bloody kunai in his teeth, but the look on his face said more than enough. "It's safe. It was an accident--we were playing. Come on."

Naruto obediently straightened up into a stand, arching back to loop his arms around his father's neck. Arashi's own arms came up to brace Naruto's hips and the younger blond settled comfortably into the older's embrace.

"I know you were hurt. Let me see."

Naruto removed the kunai from his mouth. "I'm okay, Dad. It was just a nick."

Arashi gauged the amount of blood on the blade. "That's a big nick."

"Dad, really . . ." The last thing he needed was for the Fourth to discover what a fantastic healer Kyuubi was. "I'm fine. I just need some fresh painkillers."

"I doubt that's all."

"Easy, Arashi. If the boy says that he's fine then he's fine." When Arashi looked ready to protest, the voice added, "Can't you trust him to know how serious a wound is?"

Arashi sighed, but let it go. "Naruto, I want you to meet my sensei."

Naruto looked around at his ally and greeted absently, "Hi, Ero-Sannin."

There was a stunned silence, in which Naruto realized too late that he had said something terribly wrong.

"_WHAT_?! You little runt, how _dare_ you . . .!"

Naruto looked worriedly at his father, but was greatly relieved to see him turned away, body shaking with suppressed mirth. The relief was short-lived, however, when Arashi suddenly turned on him. "How could you possibly know that? You were barely out of diapers the last time he was here."

_Busted,_ Kyuubi offered helpfully.

"Er . . . Pain," Naruto offered lamely. "I'm in pain. I'm going back to the house for more painkillers. I'll be right back."

He rolled out of Arashi's arms and was just reaching the window when his father shouted at him warningly, "_Naruto_!"

It was short and clipped--a hinted threat.

"Stories!" he replied. "I heard stories!" The Fourth lifted an eyebrow and Naruto added desperately, "In town! In the shops! You know how women complain to each other!"

His father nodded. Naruto took that as clearance and dove out the window.

The instant he was gone, Arashi frowned deeply. Though he respected his predecessor, he did not want Sarutobi to be right. _If that were so, Naruto . . . Naruto would have to be . . . How would I explain **that** to Hotaru? "Oh, well there was reason to suspect that he wasn't more than a copy of Naruto, so we killed him"?_

That, he knew, would go over _superbly_. Hotaru was not a ninja--she would not understand security. All she would know or care was that her children's father had killed the son she had not wanted to become a ninja in the first place. She would no doubt scream at him a few days, give him the silent treatment a few more, then vanish one afternoon with Nyoko.

Right or wrong, he would be getting flack from _somebody_.

"Did you teach that little punk to say that?"

Arashi shook his head. "He's been saying strange things since he woke up."

"This morning?"

"No no . . ." He proceeded to explain the events of the past month.

Jiraiya was quiet after his student finished his odd story, his expression thoughtful. Arashi looked at him hopefully, silently begging for an alternative to what would have to be done very soon otherwise.

He was not disappointed.

"While he was out he could have had one of those out-of-body experiences. Heard those make people weird."

_Too_ disappointed, anyway. After all, Arashi had forgotten to ask for a _plausible_ reason, so he had received a simple _reason_. Unfortunately, it would have to be taken with a grain of salt. Or two. "You think?"

"Better than killing him, isn't it?"

Arashi sighed heavily. "You're with them, I see."

"Kid, I don't want you hurt at all if it can be helped. But from my experience, either way someone is going to be hurt and it can be made to be just a few people or a lot."

". . . I guess . . . I guess I could retire. Devote all my time to Naruto like I should have in the beginning--wheedle out what's wrong . . ."

Jiraiya snorted. "Don't be stupid. It would take months to replace you and anything could happen in that time. If something _has_ been done to him, he's surely under a time restraint and being confined to a few months could be disastrous. The villagers could be hurt---"

"That's it!" Arashi blurted excitedly. "Sensei, you're a genius!"

"Of course I am," Jiraiya replied automatically. "So what was my idea?"

"I'll tell him I'm retiring and if he panics we'll know something's wrong!"

"Ever thought that he might just panic anyway, kid? He's never known a time when you weren't Hokage."

"I can tell the difference."

* * *

Sneaking into the house was absurdly easy--getting past the guards not included--and he was relieved when he made it to his room without being seen by any of the housekeepers. He quickly changed clothes, then took the bloody ones to the bathroom and rinsed the red-brown patch with cold water. A little finger-scrubbing helped get stubborn lines out and he rinsed the area several more times. He held them up to the light and, satisfied, wrung them out and hung them over the curtain rod to dry. He would mend them later and wash them and they would be good as new. For practices, anyway.

Limping from the bathroom--the wound may have healed up, but Kyuubi categorically refused to repair mere pulled muscles except in cases of emergency--Naruto went to the kitchen. Something was cooking, but Aya was not there.

"Naruto-sama?"

He yelped in surprise and looked up. Aya stood in the pantry doorway with an armful of vegetables. "Aya!"

"What's the matter, dear? I thought you were with your father."

"I was, but the painkillers wore off."

"I see. Well, go get yourself some more--your mother would have a fit if she saw you gimping about like an old man."

Naruto obeyed, careful to not land on the hem of his father's coat when he hopped from the stool. "Thanks, Aya!" he called as he exited.

He had almost reached the door when he heard small feet pattering on the wood floor and a stream of progressively more excited "Daddy!"s. He turned around in time to have something slam at top speed into his leg and stick there like a magnet. He almost jumped away from the attack and retaliated, but common sense asserted itself just in time. There was only one person who would mistake him for his father like this.

"Sorry, Nyoko-chan," he said, patting his little sister on the head, "I'm not Dad."

She blinked up at him. "Na'uto-niichan? Why you have Daddy coat?"

"I'm borrowing it for a bit."

"_Nyoko_!" Hitomi skidded around the corner. "Naruto-sama! I'm so sorry! She had been napping and I turned away to clean up a little and when I turned back . . .!"

"Easy, Hitomi. No harm was done. Just take some precautions next time. I don't want what happened to me to happen to her." _She probably wouldn't live through it._

"Nor do I."

Nyoko flatly refused to allow Hitomi to pick her up. "No!" she protested. "Nii-chan!"

"Your brother is busy, Nyoko."

"Nii-chan!" the toddler insisted.

Naruto felt his teeth grinding and forced himself to stop. He disliked rude, disobedient, undisciplined children immensely. They were the ones who screamed in restaurants and bothered people who were trying to have a good time, the ones who taunted him the worst under their parents' approving gazes. Naruto did not know who had raised him until he was old enough to fend for himself--he had never asked and no one had ever volunteered the information--but he knew that shrieking, disruptive children irked him like nothing else, so it was doubtful that he had been raised so.

He was _not_ going to let Nyoko become something he hated.

He frowned at her and she smiled back unrepentantly, oblivious to his ire. To Hitomi, he said, "Mom lets her do this, doesn't she?"

Startled, Hitomi's response was stuttered. "H-Honestly, Na-Naruto-sama? It was b-both you and your mother who let her make her decisions."

"Well not anymore, especially with potential assassins sitting around waiting for targets. I'm know I'm not elite, but if they'll attack me in broad daylight then they'll definitely go after her if they catch her alone. For her own safety, you have my permission to get her under control. I think Dad would agree, but I'll ask."

". . . What about Lady Hotaru?"

"Mom doesn't understand what's going on out there and that's probably for the best. But this is a matter of Nyoko's life; Mom letting her get away with stuff could get her killed. Don't let Mom threaten you, either--Dad will talk some sense into her. Is that good?"

"It's fine, Naruto-sama, fine. Thank you."

Naruto turned his attention to Nyoko. "You go with Hitomi and behave yourself."

She squirmed, then cried, "Not fair! You use Daddy-eyes!"

Hitomi firmly gathered her up and carted her off. "It's time for you to finish your nap."

Naruto watched them go, then went to the lounge and looked in a large mirror that bore a frosted dragon border. ". . . 'Daddy-eyes'?"

An older, slimmer, and overall more mature form of his face appeared over his shoulder. "Whatcha lookin' at?" He let out a yell and dove to the side. ". . . Naruto, are you okay? You were never this jumpy before . . ."

The funny thing was, Naruto could not recall a time when he had _not_ been jumpy except the few times that he had stayed at Iruka's. "I'm fine. Nyoko said I had 'Daddy-eyes' and I was trying to figure out what she meant."

"Well, if my guess is correct then Jiraiya-sensei calls them tiger eyes," his father offered matter-of-factly. "It's supposedly an incredibly intense look that others find vastly intimidating. However, I've wasted hours of my life in front of a variety of mirrors attempting to research this phenomenon and found nothing. At all. So if _you_ find anything, let me know."

Naruto shook his head. "I'll take your word for it. I hate mirrors." He took a moment to study their similarities in build and facial structure, then realized he was being stared at much too narrowly than could be considered safe. "Did you finish work early or something?"

"I wanted to talk to you."

_Uh-oh._ "Oh, well I wanted to talk to you."

"In that case---"

"Where are the women?"

Naruto and his father rolled their eyes at this and the Fourth replied, "I won't tolerate you peeking at my daughters, adopted or not."

"Who said I wanted to peek?"

"Well, I _know_ you don't want to marry them, and with few exceptions that's all I intend to let them out of my sight for."

"Yeah, I know. Didn't you tell me once that you were a grandfather already?"

"Yes, and don't try to change the subject!" The Fourth reached out and pinned Naruto's head against his ribs, effectively covering his ears. Naruto's hearing, though, was too sharp to be neutralized. "Some of these girls have been _raped_!" his father hissed. "By _family_! An uncle, a father . . . even a brother! It took me _months_ to calm them down and gain their trust and you are _not_ going to undermine that!"

Jiraiya's face did not change, but Naruto knew where to look for that flicker of annoyance and was not disappointed. Perverted though he was, Jiraiya had never been involved with or written about children. Said it was something only the weak of mind and heart would do, to take advantage of such innocents. He even threatened Naruto with slow and painful disembowelment, which Naruto readily agreed to because his interest lay only in fully-developed female bodies as research material for refining his sexy no jutsu.

He had not forgotten Jiraiya's annoyance, either. It was, statistically, far worse than his anger. Anger tended to cloud one's judgement and bring death far sooner than it should be given. Annoyance preserved a clear mind and promoted sadism--it was much, _much_ more dangerous than outright anger.

"I understand," Jiraiya replied finally.

"Good. Now let's all sit." They did so and the Fourth looked at Naruto. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"The first thing is about Nyoko. She snuck out of her room when she was supposed to be napping and mistook me for you. I don't know if she would have wandered outside or not, but I don't want to take that risk. I told Hitomi to discipline her if necessary, but I think she'd rather hear it from you, if you agree."

His father nodded. "I'll talk to Hitomi later."

"I also wanted to ask you about Shinju."

"Shinju?"

"I think she should go to school."

"Has she mentioned this?"

"She's too scared to ask for it herself. She says that she can read and write, but from her voice I think it's self-taught. She's not even confident enough to get married--claims she's too shy. She needs someone to take the initiative for her."

"I see." After a moment, the Fourth's gaze shifted to a point beyond Naruto. "Ah, Shinju. Just the person I wanted to see."

There was a startled rattle of ceramic. "M-Me, Hokage-sama? H-Have I . . . done s-s-something wrong?"

"Not at all," he assured her as she set a tray on the table. "Thank you, by the way."

She blushed fiercely and Naruto wondered why she and his Hinata had not yet died--all that blood rushing to the head so often could not be healthy. "Well, I . . . I saw you had a guest and so . . ."

"I appreciate it. Forethought is a worthwhile skill. This is Jiraiya, my teacher."

"Hey," Jiraiya greeted with a detached casualness Naruto had never heard him use with a pretty woman before. Shinju was not gorgeous, but she was not plain either. She might have been a child, but she was old enough that he would have done some harmless, completely meaningless flirting--just to see how many times he could make her blush.

Naruto was impressed with his restraint.

Shinju bowed deeply. "It is an honor to meet one of the Sannin. Please enjoy your visit and do not hesitate to call on me should you need anything. I would be happy to assist."

Naruto looked at his father, who was looking back at him. Both shrugged and turned to Jiraiya, who seemed more than used to the reverent treatment. Politely, he answered, "I appreciate your willingness to help. I'll let you know if I have need of something."

Shinju nodded and began to serve them tea.

"So Shinju," the Fourth began, too thoughtfully for it to be an innocent question, "have you ever considered going to school?"

"S-School, Hokage-sa-sama?" Shinju echoed in a high squeak, nearly slopping tea from Naruto's cup in her alarm.

"Have you?"

"No, sir, I . . . I haven't."

"Would you like to?"

"Oh, I couldn't p-possibly impose upon you---"

"Great! Fall classes start next week! We'll have to go out to get supplies soon!"

"B-But Hokage-sama . . . who will c-clean up in m-my place?"

"Don't you worry about that. You've done nothing but work hard since you got here. I'm sure the other girls wouldn't mind splitting your duties to give you this opportunity."

". . . Hokage-sama, I . . . I don't know what to say . . ."

"Then show me."

Shinju went rigid and her breathing hitched for an instant. Naruto thought he saw a tiny tremor shake her, but could not imagine what had frightened her. Her face . . . It was as though she was living a nightmare all over again. He recalled what his father had said about what some of the girls had gone through and it seemed likely. The question was why. Had it been a behavior one of them had displayed? A sound? Words? Had what his father said to her--while possessing no deep meaning for the rest of them--been something that she had been told right before being forced into an event she had not wanted to participate in?

"S-Show you, sir?"

Naruto shot his father and Jiraiya a glance and saw that the instant they had recognized her fright they had both subtly adjusted their postures to put her at ease. It worked, even if she did not realize it. Body language was universal but conveyed in the same unique way as a voice, thus it was imperative that a ninja know the specific behaviors of his team, so as to know when they were serious or playful, watchful or unobservant. It had been an unconscious gesture, Naruto was sure, as all people--ninja included--often told a lie with their voices to divert attention from the truth they told with their body. Most were simply not aware of this happening and it was one more skill that ninja had honed over time. He had seen Kakashi and Iruka argue in this silent manner--despite the saccharine pleasantness that had been positively _oozing_ from both of them--all of it to avoid letting the ever-present children in on the situation. Ninja conversed so often this way that they forgot that it was a language civilians could not consciously speak; it was common for a civilian to unintentionally insult a ninja merely by standing a certain way. On the other hand, a ninja could easily manipulate a civilian into anything from a lower price at market to being totally intimidated.

Naruto carefully added his two cents into the conversation Shinju did not know she was taking part in, reclining from his predatory elbows-on-knees position. He twisted to fling his right leg over the arm of his chair and took a moderately loud slurp of his tea to break her much too intense focus.

"Yes, show me," the Fourth went on, as though he had not noticed her discomfort at all. It could not have been farther from the truth. "Study as hard as you can and if you get stuck, don't hesitate to ask for help. I didn't take you from your father so you could continue that trend here. If you need something, please ask me. Don't automatically assume you're trying to get too much. Let me decide that, all right?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama. Thank you so much."

The Fourth smiled warmly. "You've more than earned it. Go on."

She smiled shyly and hurried to her feet, then left the room with barely a sound.

"And credit to you, Naruto, for bringing this to my attention. I'm afraid I'm so busy that only the squeaky wheels get the grease and so many girls have passed through here that I think I'm starting to get them mixed up. That and ones like her are so quiet they slip past very easily over and over again."

Naruto basked momentarily in his father's smile of pride. It felt nice to know he had done something right. "You said you wanted to talk to me?"

The Fourth's smile faded slighty, something Naruto could not identify but did not like glittering in his eyes. "Naruto, I've decided to retire."

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

****

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

For those who might not know, yes, the translation of "Yondaime Hokage" is indeed "Fourth Generation Fire Shadow" or something along those lines. I can't recall exactly which site I found that on (I _do_ remember that it was one of the big ones like NarutoFan), so if I'm in error please let me know.

---

I think it's a general consensus in the fandom that ninja entertain themselves by playing games with objects that most of us would get near only if we were wearing a full suit of armor.

---

-Sannin, -Sennin . . . Both, apparently, are correct. I'm noting that here because someone else received several reviews or e-mails stating that 'sennin' was wrong, but the author in question explained why it was all right (five a.m. now--can't remember where or when I saw it) to use either or both. I personally prefer 'Sannin', so that is all I will ever be using.

---

I don't think Jiraiya's an idiot--not generally, anyway--but I _do_ think he has something of an imagination.

---

For anyone who might think it does, blood does _not _stain forever unless you toss the article in question into the dryer and turn the heat on 'high'. I know from many, _many_ personal experiences that if you rinse a stain with ice-cold water and scrub with your fingers or an old toothbrush, a small stain comes out in anywhere from thirty to sixty seconds. At that point you have _really_ wet and _really_ cold clothes, but the blood's gone.

---

Despite his usual behavior, I tend to think that Naruto--when he didn't need anything and wasn't in pain--was actually a quiet baby. I don't exactly know why. All I know is that _I_ was a quiet baby (I was so quiet my mom says I didn't even cry at my own birth) and now, so many years later, hearing the Obligatory Screaming Child in just about every restaurant I step into makes me want to smack both the baby for screaming and the parents for not doing anything about it. _My_ parents _never_ let my sisters and me cry when we were toddlers. Yeah, so crying is the best way toddlers can communicate. That's fine. But the tantrum-shriek? No. We got spanked for that and I'm _glad_ they did it because I get embarrassed for these kids who are allowed to make nuisances out of themselves.

---

No, there will be no romance between Naruto and Shinju or any of the other girls (you anti-OFCers can breathe now ;)) because as you'll find out later, they were all brought into the household as Naruto's sisters rather than potential love interests. They clean the house because they feel they owe a debt and not because it's forced on them. Shinju and the other girls are _**ONLY**_ characters I conjured in case I needed someone to fill in a blank space in a scene (though Shinju's role is a _little_ bigger than the others') and I gave them that particular background because I needed them to be socially-stunted. There were probably better, less used options for that trait and I apologize _profusely_ for being so unoriginal, but I wanted something that didn't require too much explanation.

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	6. Intruder

**Author's Note:** Chapter six has arrived! Good grief, where has the time gone? I post Saturday before my sister and I leave to update my wardrobe a little and when I check back on Sunday I have thirty-four reviews already! (Thank you very much for leaving me so many, by the way! It was like Christmas all over again!) I can't answer more than couple because my mother just _had_ to install the software for her new digital camera that my dad got her and it took all night, so when I come back Monday and start answering more reviews, I realize I only have two days to read over this chapter one last time and answer questions you didn't know you had! Phew . . .

Many thanks to everyone who clarified the difference between Sannin and sennin. I got them confused because I while I know 'san' is 'three', I always thought the 'San' was referring to Sandaime, and 'Sannin' was just a shortened way of saying they were the Third's students. Don't look for corrections right away, but they should turn up eventually.

I generally won't be answering reviews here, but this was an anonymous review _and_ it was a very good question that I think everyone has been wondering. **ST**'s question is as follows: What's happened to Naruto's body in his home universe? If you've ever seen .hack//sign, the character's consciousness is trapped in the game while the real body is in a coma. Has something similar happened to Naruto's original body?

I've seen about half of .hack//SIGN so far, by the way, so I _am_ familiar with exactly what's being asked and suggested. The answer is one I'm not going to give here _because_ this is the chapter that answers that very question! Convenient, no? I'll try to clear up the vagueness after it's over.

Also, **Maiya** asked about Orochimaru and Tsunade. Parallelverse-wise, they will also have their turns in the light--or at least Orochimaru will. I'm still working on Tsunade as more than a mention. She--by the way, **Maiya**--was not in Konoha at the time of Naruto's . . . whatever you'd call it . . . she's out taking care of someone else.

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 3,330

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 1/17/07

**Disclaimer:** Not this time.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Six - Intruder

* * *

"From what?" Naruto asked as he sipped his tea, unable to imagine what his father was doing that he wanted to get away from and why it was necessary that Naruto know. The obvious answer presented itself and he sat up abruptly as he gasped at the news, coughing and gagging in the next instant as he barely escaped drowning in his suddenly-inhaled tea. "You're _retiring_?! But . . . But you _can't_!"

"Why not?" Jiraiya challenged, as the Fourth's head and shoulders had slumped in what appeared to be defeat. "It's his choice."

"Well it's the _wrong_ choice! He worked his ass off to get to this point and now he wants to throw it _away_?! What the hell _for_?! It makes no sense, Ero-sennin, and you _know_ it! How can _you_, of _all_ people, let him do this?!"

_You're giving yourself away, boy,_ Kyuubi warned.

"As I said, it's his choice to make, whether or not I agree. Which I don't, for the record."

Naruto turned to his father. "Dad . . . why?"

The Fourth lifted his head and gave Naruto an aged look. "Because you aren't my son."

"I'm not your . . ." Horrible, irrational thoughts of being adopted flooded his mind, but the answer came instantly when he thought like a ninja. "Oh, I see . . . Well . . . Now wait just a damn minute! Retiring won't do anything if I'm a spy; I'd already have had dozens of chances to bug the house _and_ the office--it won't matter _who's_ Hokage in that case! Besides, how can you be so sure I'm a spy?!"

"Even _I_ can tell you're acting weird, kid, and I barely know you," Jiraiya told him.

Naruto brought his hand down on the table so hard that his cup shattered and cut into his clenched fist. "That's not fair! Everybody knows that at least _part_ of my memory is gone, but no one's bothered to take the time to sit down with me to help me remember or even find out how much I _do_ know!"

_Why are you so worked up, you stupid brat?_

_Because it's always been like this! **Always**! No matter where I go, everyone thinks the worst of me!_

_Don't be so melodramatic._

_You shut up! This is your fault anyway!_

"Where are you going?" the Fourth asked as Naruto headed out of the lounge.

"Out!" came the angry snarl. Anger was far better than tears. "I need to kill something! Don't bother saving me supper--I'm _not_ hungry!"

Arashi sighed as the front door slammed shut. ". . . That was much more Naruto-like."

"You mean he _usually_ bitches like that?"

"It's not _bitching_---"

Jiraiya gave him a look. "Please. Only women are worse than that display was."

" Then you've obviously never heard Kakashi when he isn't doing a solo and isn't paired with Iruka or Obito. _That_ is bitching."

The sennin snorted. "So what're you going to do now?"

"Let him go. He'll blow off some steam and come back--he's afraid of the dark."

"And he wants to be a _ninja_?"

Arashi shrugged. "Hotaru insisted on cuddling him when he was frightened, but that only made it worse. It's rather out of control."

"More than 'rather', I'd say . . ."

Hotaru was furious, naturally, but managed to rein in her ire until they were away from the supper table and out of Nyoko's earshot.

"I can't _believe_ you, Arashi!" she bellowed, and followed it with a stream of profanities that made him wince. Hotaru had a strong belief that such vulgarities were below any truly self-respecting woman and usually watched her language very carefully. It was only when she was violently angry about something that she let herself go. Of course, a lot of the reasons she lost control came down to one silly fact: She forgot that Naruto was as much his firstborn as hers and acted as if he were out to get the boy killed. Not that she could really be blamed for this; it had been a rampant problem in her family before. "You go find him _right now_, before he ends up in the hospital again!"

"I'd already be out there if you hadn't insisted on rendering me deaf in my left ear," he muttered, which he really should not have said out loud, no matter how true it might have been. Her hand came up sharply, but he was much faster than her and caught her wrist. "Don't hit me, Hotaru. Don't act as though I'm trying to hurt you or him intentionally. This is what it's like to be around ninja. I don't want something to happen to Naruto any more than you do, but there's every possibility that the one we're housing is not the one you gave birth to. Giving him a hard time is the gentlest thing I can do to get a straight answer from him."

She looked from him to her upraised arm and flinched, squeezing her eyes shut. If he had been her father he would have long since struck her back and beaten her senseless for her brazen rebelliousness. It had been thirteen years since she had last had any contact with her father--she had no interest in getting in touch with him and as much as he valued family he was not going to force her to speak with the old merchant--but nearly twenty years of 'conditioning' were not so easily overcome.

He drew her into an embrace. "Come on, Hotaru, please don't think about that."

Her stiffness eased considerably and she snuggled against him. "I'm sorry. I know it's irrational, but sometimes I get scared that . . . you're turning into him. I try not to, but whenever you're with the kids I always end up _watching_ you and picking your actions apart, looking for some hint that you're going to hurt them. Sometimes I think you _are_ trying to hurt them, even though there's no evidence of it and I know deep down that you wouldn't." He did nothing but pet her hair and she hurried on with, "I know it's stupid, I know---"

"It's not stupid," he corrected. "It's a valid concern. You've seen how weak men behave and it's not pretty in the slightest. You don't trust us anymore---No, shh. Let me finish first. You don't trust us because you have no _reason_ to trust us. As much as I'd like to promise you that it'd never happen to me, there's nothing that says I won't break down and become that weak. And if it _does_ start to happen to me, I won't be able to tell. I need you to find a safe way to let me know. If you try to hit me I might accidentally retaliate and hurt you and I don't want you to get hurt, especially because of something I did. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Good. C'mere."

He pressed a warm, comforting kiss to her lips and tickled the base of her spine lightly, causing her to arch against him and giggle. "You promise?" she murmured, shifting her gaze up to meet his coyly.

"Only if you don't fall asleep before I get back," he offered, kissing her again and then exiting the room via the window.

The dark was much more than Naruto preferred, so logic would dictate that the boy would have already returned. However, that was not the case this time. He looked up at the roof and saw one ANBU guard perched frog-like on the eave--he was relieved that the other had, apparently, gone after Naruto. The remaining guard said nothing to him and gave no signal, merely took a calculated fall and vanished into the trees. He stayed close behind, wondering if Naruto had gotten lost and, unaware there was someone to take him home, simply decided to spend the night there no matter how frightening it was. Few outside the family knew of his fear of the dark, so the ANBU who followed him would not have made an effort to return him.

He soon found himself on a tree branch, crouched between the two ANBU. "Did he do any crying?" he asked the one they had joined.

"No, sir, but he sure had a lot to say. Never heard some of them before--really creative, though. He fell asleep about an hour ago."

_An hour ago it still would have been pitch black, especially in the forest, yet he wasn't afraid?_ Arashi hopped from the tree, landing silently in front of the den his son had found amongst the roots of another tree. Naruto twitched in response to his presence, but did not fully wake--it was hard to say if that was a good thing or not. He attempted to reach into the den to shake the boy, but very quickly withdrew his hand from the darkness to find a cat-sized nogitsune attached to the skin between his thumb and index finger.

"Ow. Genko, let me go," he commanded, grabbing the little two-tailed fox by its scruff and lifting it from the ground. It held on resolutely and simply to get it off, he threatened, "I'll tell Kyuubi."

That usually worked like a charm, but this time it did not. The fox's eyes shifted down to Naruto's back, as if waiting. A white fox and a red fox, of the same size as the black one, looked over Naruto's side and growled at him. He was about to make good on his threat and call Kyuubi, which he had never had to do before, but Naruto suddenly grumbled in a way that was distinctly non-human and all three foxes quieted immediately. He set the black fox on the ground and it slunk back into the den, its dark fur making it invisible in the unlit burrow.

"Thanks anyway, guys," Naruto mumbled.

_That was certainly strange. I knew Naruto and Kyuubi were close, but I hadn't thought they were **that** close. _"Naruto."

"What's it?" came the bleary reply.

"I'm taking you home."

There was a snort. "Thought I's a spy."

"You might be, but I'm taking you home anyway before your mother emasculates me with her bare hands."

"'M fine here."

"Again, you might be, but your mother doesn't think so."

"'M nah goin' back. 'M a spy."

Arashi sighed and hauled him out by the collar. With Naruto's body gone, some of the moonlight lit the inside of the den and he could see the three foxes huddled together, glaring at him with bright blue, bright green, and amber eyes. White fangs were showing, but there were no vocal threats made.

It was strange behavior.

"Listen, I have no idea what to think anymore. Sometimes you're yourself, sometimes you're not. Come on, up . . . piggyback."

Still half asleep, Naruto climbed obediently onto his back. His arms draped over Arashi's shoulders and his cheek rested against the back of Arashi's neck. "I wanna sleep ou'side," he protested sleepily, "wif ma frien's."

"Maybe after all this is figured out."

Naruto was quiet for the rest of the trip home, which Arashi figured meant he had fallen asleep once more. The Fourth stopped by the bedroom to reassure Hotaru, but she had drifted to sleep reading. Again. He put Naruto to bed and returned to tuck Hotaru in, which woke her and incited indignation.

"You promised!" she protested.

"Only if you didn't fall asleep," he reminded her, "which you did. Go back to sleep--you lost this time."

"Mm," she agreed. "Love you."

He smiled and gave her a brief, gentle kiss. "I love you, too."

* * *

His senses told him it was day, but he could not so much as open his eyes. All he could do was listen for the time being and hope to regain control of his body.

"Were you here all night?"

_It's Tsunade-baba . . ._

"They were trying to take him off life support. Why?"

_. . . and Sasuke?_

"How should I know?"

"I know you do."

"Actually, I don't. However, I have a good guess and if it's right then you'll be informed in the event that it pertains to you. It's not important."

"They wanted him to _die_!"

"Point out the ones responsible and I'd be happy to . . . have words with them. Now, I assume you were the one who found him?"

"Yes. In field nine."

"Were you looking for him?"

He recognized one of Sasuke's acquiescent silences.

"Why?"

"We had agreed to meet for lunch and then train in field four. When he didn't show up, I went looking for him."

"Why did you check the fields?"

"He told me he had booked a field up until yesterday--it was the most likely place."

"Where were you the day before yesterday?"

". . . Are you kidding?"

"I have to assume everyone is guilty."

"I sparred with Kakashi-sensei in the morning and was almost molested by Sakura and Ino all evening."

"_All_ evening?"

There was an annoyed silence. Then:

"They kept _finding_ me . . . It's _not_ funny."

"Was I laughing?"

"You may as well have been."

"Right. Well, I want you to go home and get some sleep for now. I expect a full report on my desk by tomorrow. And while you're at it, you better tell Iruka. None of us will hear the end of it otherwise."

"What about him? They tried to---"

"_I'll_ stay with him. Now go."

Naruto opened his eyes, expecting to see the ceiling of the hospital. Instead, it was that of a darkened bedroom, which surprised him because the last thing he remembered was curling up with three small nogitsune under a tree. _What the hell . . .? Fox-bastard?_

_. . . What is it?_ Kyuubi asked sleepily.

_What was that?_

_What was what?_

_You mean you didn't hear it?!_

_I happened to be sleeping._

_Sleep? You don't---_ His head suddenly jerked to face the window.

Something had been there.

_What the . . .?_

A piercing scream reached him and he all but fell out of bed as he ran for the bedroom door, grabbing the first weapon he came across. Out in the hall, he turned right, went around the corner, and slammed into Nyoko's room without ceremony. He lunged furiously at the shadow hovering over his sister, his teeth bared. He had intended to shout a threat as usual, but predatory instinct silenced him and allowed a good slash at the interloper's shoulder. He was irrationally pleased to feel the drag that signaled contact with the target.

Nyoko screamed again.

Naruto knew very little after that. He was aware only of himself, of Nyoko, of the enemy, and of the fact that his smaller size gave him a massive maneuverability advantage. He made sure to keep himself between Nyoko and the intruder, though he knew that in this body he did not have the skill or strength to fight the other off. All he could do was hold on as long as he could and wait for his father to get there.

He was not disappointed.

The Fourth arrived with all the fury of a typhoon that had just hit land. Naruto, forced to the floor by the enemy, allowed himself a sigh of relief when he felt the gentle bump of a knee against the back of his head.

"Get your sister."

Naruto obediently ducked between his father's legs and scrambled over to Nyoko's bed. She reached out for him, but just before he grabbed her there was a movement in the corner of his eye. He changed his grasp to a shove, earning a yelp of indignant surprise, and took the kunai right in the shoulder muscle. He gritted his teeth to keep from letting out a cry of pain, more to avoid drawing his father's attention than to act manly. He dove for Nyoko then, bundling her up in a blanket and against a pillow before bolting to the door.

"All yours, Dad!" he announced, slamming the door behind himself. He heard the battle begin in earnest and doubted it would be long before things were all right.

"Oh, _Naruto_!"

"Er . . . Hi, Mom," he offered lamely, knowing he looked awful covered in blood.

"You're _hurt_!" she observed, lifting Nyoko from his arms into one of hers and running her free hand through his hair agitatedly.

"They're just scratches," he replied honestly, tacking to the end a less truthful, "Most of this isn't my blood."

They did not believe him, either, until Shinju put down her katana--they were all armed thusly--and retrieved a dish of water and a wet cloth to clean the blood away and reveal his few injuries. He allowed himself to be fawned over for a time; he was not used to such worshipful treatment, after all.

The door to Nyoko's room opened slowly and the Fourth stepped into the hall, closing it behind him. "Everyone all right?" he asked wearily, though there was no physical explanation for the sound.

"Are _you_ all right?" Hotaru replied, obviously frightened.

"I'm fine," he assured her.

"Where's Ero-sennin?" Naruto asked. "He should have been here!"

"Probably sleeping."

"Why that---"

"Easy, Naruto. That ninja cast a jutsu that puts people to sleep. I suppose those who were already asleep were unaffected, but I checked outside and the guards were sleeping. Sensei was surely working on one of his . . . novels." He yawned widely. "I was half awake at the time, so I'm half asleep now. 'S why it took me so long to help you. I'm sorry."

Naruto shrugged. "You were there." Really, that was all that was important to him. The girls went back to cooing over him, but he did not understand. He had not killed the enemy--he was too weak. He started to draw away. "Wait, I . . . but I didn't . . ."

"Didn't what?" Aya prompted. "Hold still!"

"But I . . . I only got Nyoko . . ."

There was a pause, then Aya barked out a laugh and scrubbed at his face harder. "Silly little boy . . ."

"Naruto, the ninja who disposes of his enemies is not always the most important member of the team," the Fourth reminded him.

Hotaru explained it best, surprisingly. "You saved Nyoko's life, Naruto. Even if whoever it was had gotten away, you still protected her. _She_ was the objective, sweetheart, not him. Your father was very groggy and difficult to wake up--if you hadn't been there, I have no doubt Nyoko wouldn't be here now."

Naruto was sure that lesson had been imparted to him before, but it had only been words then and had never made sense until that moment. Nodding, he basked in being The Hero until the girls had finished with their impromptu sponge bath.

"All right," the Fourth said, his usual dignified image completely spoiled by Hotaru's brushing at his cheek with a cloth, "everyone to bed."

Such a command meant all was well and safe, so the adrenalin left Naruto's body as fast as it had entered. He yawned and went to his room, but barely put his kunai down before arms slipped around him and lifted him effortlessly from the floor. "Dad, what the . . .?"

"As if I'd let you out of my sight now. He might've had a buddy, you know."

He was taken into his parents' room and placed on the bed. Nyoko giggled--"Nii-chan."--so he settled down with her to entertain her, glad she seemed to have forgotten the past half-hour already. Soon, though, she was asleep and Naruto felt himself drifting off as well, waking briefly until he deduced that the motion of the bed meant his parents were joining them. He closed his eyes and that night he slept better than he ever had before, relishing the knowledge that he was surrounded by family.

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

There is _one_ sentence in this chapter that I took from a movie by accident and didn't realize I'd done it for hours. Your hint is that the movie I took it from (though I believe it may have been in others) was _Star Trek: The Voyage Home_, which just so happens to be the _fourth_ (tee-hee) movie and--if the title doesn't ring a bell--it's otherwise known as, 'the one with the whales', according to the AMC channel. If you can find it for me, I will . . . be elated that someone actually spotted it, I guess. Happy hunting!

---

There was also a hint as to how Parallelverse!Naruto often behaves. What a brat.

---

Hotaru does _not_ have a good relationship with her father, to put it simply; he's an asshole. Her mother has been dead since before she met the Fourth. Remember, Shinju told Naruto that Hotaru was like herself and the other girls--she came from an abusive household. It's just that she's had more time to grow beyond her experiences.

---

Yes, there was a sexual innuendo in this chapter. It was extremely vague and personal, but it was there.

---

'Nogitsune' is an old term, if I remember correctly, for wild foxes in general. Once upon a time, 'kitsune' meant any fox that served Inari (a deity) and/or the Lady (the 'mother of all foxes' who had either ten or one thousand tails--it depends on the legend or was never quite made clear), while 'nogitsune' were foxes who played pranks and did other mischievous things. A 'genko' is a black fox, and are (or were) considered good omens. A 'byakko' is a white fox, and they are (or were) also considered good omens. A 'shakko' is a red fox, and they are (or were) considered neither a good omen nor a bad omen.

---

So, to more clearly answer **ST**'s question: Yes, Naruto's body is in a coma. More will be revealed about it in . . . chapter eight? . . . Thereabouts, anyway.

Some people have asked me how old canonverse Naruto is in this fic. Naruto is seventeen years old and trapped in a twelve-year-old body. That means there are inevitable, if subtle, changes in Naruto's personality, as well as in the personalities of everyone around him. Canonverse Sasuke is eighteen and values Naruto a bit more openly as a friend even if he doesn't have the brain cells to say it aloud. He has also finally come to terms with the fact that he will _never_ be rid of Sakura and Ino. Fortunately for him, Sakura and Ino, while they still have crushes on him, were just trying to creep him out this time.

---

Would Kyuubi sleep? One would think so, since he has nothing better to do when Naruto's not up and around. Aside from psychologically torment the boy, anyway, which has probably gotten old by this point in Naruto's life.

---

Yes, Nyoko's attacker was of the same kind--probably not the _exact_ same--that attacked Parallelverse!Naruto and caused our Naruto to take over his body.

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	7. Breakfast

**Author's Note:** Chapter seven has _arrived_! Not a particularly plotful chapter, but the Fourth learns that Naruto has some skill in planning and Naruto learns about the Fourth's more . . . _domestic_ side.

Thank you for all of your wonderful reviews! Everybody is so intrigued about parallelverse!Kyuubi, but I'm afraid there's only so much I can tell you without spoiling it and believe me, _no one_ wants that particular bit to be spoiled. I don't care _how_ much spoilers don't bother you--you _won't_ want this spoiled. It will be worth _every_ second of the wait. Or it would be if it were me, anyway.

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 2,298

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 1/20/07

**Disclaimer:** As if.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Seven - Breakfast

* * *

". . . I'm moving out."

There was some silence, after which came a wet hack similar to the noise a cat bringing up a hairball would make. Naruto turned to his father, who hacked again, eyes watery from the citric acid in his orange juice going places that it should not. He waved his empty glass and asked with a raspy voice, "Pass the orange juice, please." He followed it with a plaintive, experimental cough, cleared his throat, took a swallow of his milk--which could not have tasted good so soon after the orange juice--and turned to Naruto. "Beg your pardon?"

Naruto frowned apprehensively. He had waited for his mother to leave before saying this because he had been under the impression that she would never let him leave the house. He had thought his father could be negotiated with. "I'm moving out."

"And where---Thank you, Hitomi . . . And where, pray tell, do you plan to go?"

"Just into the village. Shinju can come with me if she wants, since it'll be easier to walk to school that way. Then you can have the house and the office checked out and won't have to worry about me replanting anything, assuming you believe I _have_ planted something."

"You think you can live on your own?"

If nothing else, that was one thing he knew he could do. "Yes."

"You think you can _budget_?"

Naruto looked at him, then put his chopsticks down and began to list items on his fingers. "Rent, utilities, food for two, medical expenses for two, unforeseen repairs like doors and walls and windows, clothes, weapons, med kits, school supplies . . . Did I miss anything?"

". . . No, I think that about covers it. So how do you plan to pay for all of this?"

"I can't. I need your help."

"Oh?"

"I don't know how I got to be in the shape that I'm in, but I need to train. If you cover the first two months, I'll train and then start taking any class assignment except 'S'."

". . . You're kidding, right?"

"Was I supposed to be?"

"Naruto, you may be my son but you didn't exactly graduate at the top of your class." Arashi looked away and added almost under his breath, "Barely graduated at all, really . . ."

He had heard something similar to that more than once from Iruka. "Yeah. _Magna cum pellidentium_ or whatever."

"Magna cum _what_?"

"Pellidentium. 'By the skin of the teeth'."

The Fourth looked at Jiraiya, who said only, "He's your son all right."

With a sigh, the Fourth turned to Naruto again. "You couldn't handle A- or B-class."

"Not alone, no."

"Are you telling me that I'm supposed to put an untried genin in a team of experienced chuunin and jounin?"

"No. My team will do."

"And which team would that be?"

Naruto blinked. "You mean I'm not on a team?"

"You were the odd man out. Sarutobi-sensei's been training you separately."

"The geezer?"

"Naruto . . ." came the disapproving warning.

"Whatever. Just give me a month. I'll be ready."

His father gave him an evaluating look.

Kyuubi filled the silence quite adequately. _The punk says that if he lets you do this, your mother will kill him._

_He'll make it._

"All right, you have a deal," the Fourth decided. "But you did a lot of slacking in school and in your individual training. If you show a _single_ sign of it in _any_ of your assignments it's all over. Clear?"

"Crystal!" Naruto agreed enthusiastically.

"Um . . ." Shinju began quietly. "I could get a job to help."

"You already have a job to which you will be devoting your full attention," the Fourth told her as he returned to his eggs. "Your studies. Don't concern yourself with something as trivial as money. I'll take care of it, whatever happens."

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

Immediately after breakfast, Naruto began to pack. Thanks to Shinju, it was easy to find the clothes he wanted to take. His weapons, though, were a different story entirely. He had some of them on hand, but he remembered Shinju saying there were more. Unfortunately, he could not recall where.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are . . ." he sing-songed softly.

"Na'uto-niichan? What this?"

He sighed and turned. "Nyoko, you're supposed to be . . . Where'd you find that?"

She pointed at the wicker basket beside her and repeated, "What this?"

"It's a shuriken."

She examined it closely, then threw it as far across the room as she could manage with her small arm. Entertained, she reached for another.

Naruto got to his feet, a concerned admonishment on the tip of his tongue--she could _hurt_ herself with those--but quickly took notice of the way she was holding the weapon and silenced himself. It was an almost perfect copy of the way _he_ held shuriken. "Wait! Don't throw that yet! Let me find you a target . . . Ah! Okay!" He crouched a short distance away from her and held the small board up defensively. "Throw here!"

He had to move in to half his original distance and constantly change the board's position because she was so weak and had no sense of aim--which more often than not resulted in the shuriken being on the floor rather than in the board--but she was full of potential.

"Your mother would have kittens if she saw this."

"Hi, Dad!" Naruto replied, having barely heard the other blond. "Isn't this cool?"

"She's not supposed to become a ninja," the Fourth told him, stepping into the room and crouching at a point perpendicular to where Naruto and Nyoko were. After watching a few of his daughter's throws, he reached out and adjusted the positioning of her arm, which vastly improved her skill. "Your mother claims that since you became a ninja, your sister can't."

"Nyoko can be whatever she wants," Naruto cooed over the board at his sister. "Isn't that right, sweetie?"

The toddler giggled almost demonically.

Naruto's eyes went wide. ". . . That was unpleasant."

The Fourth stood. "I think that's enough for today." He picked Nyoko up and relieved her of the shuriken that she held with the deftness of experience. "Naruto, I took the liberty of selecting an apartment and already arranged for two paid months, to start whenever you decide to sign the lease. Shinju and the girls are shopping for food now."

"Does she like it?"

"I couldn't tell--she stuttered like a dying motor. Either she was so excited about it that she had no words or couldn't figure out how to tell me she hated it."

"I'll ask her later. Is it furnished?"

"Yes."

"Ooh, good."

"Are you moving out _now_?"

"Something wrong with that?"

"Well, _no_. I just thought that you'd wait until . . . I don't know . . . your _mother_ knew of this, perhaps?"

He moved the wicker basket onto his bed and opened it, reaching in blindly for weapons. "Dad, Shinju's classes start next week. Other than the place you took her from, this is the only home she's known, right? I'm going to need the rest of the week to---Holy f---!"

He never finished the word because his father put a hand over his mouth. "Don't say that around your sister. Her knowledge of incorrect words and behaviors is appalling already. And don't say it around me, either. I like to pretend my children are well-behaved . . ."

Naruto snorted and smiled. "Which fantasy world would that be?"

". . . And _definitely_ don't say it around your mother or she'll rip out your vocal cords _and_ mine, which would be very inconvenient since being Hokage requires the capacity to maintain an easily-comprehensible conversation. Now what got you so upset?"

He held up the weapons that had been in the basket. "They're _rusted_!"

"Seems that way."

"How did they _get_ like this?!"

"Lack of care, obviously. I told you that you were a slacker."

"Yeah, but . . ." He looked mournfully at the mistreated weaponry, then into the basket and decided to take the whole thing along. It was hardly anything new--it only looked like surface rust anyway. He could clean them up and make sure their strength was not compromised before using them. Back home, since people were even less interested in selling him weapons than they were in selling him food, he had been forced to do that until Iruka started buying them for him. "Well, now I have something to do after I finish training. Good grief."

He replaced the lid and pushed the basket over next to his backpack. "Anyway, as I was saying, I'm going to need the rest of the week to get Shinju comfortable with the apartment, the surrounding districts, and her classroom. The sooner it's all done, the easier a transition it'll . . . What're you smiling for?"

His father reached out and ruffled his hair. "Nothing. I just think you being responsible is a nice change."

"If I wasn't responsible before, you didn't beat me enough."

"Then how about I give you a few beatings with interest to cover the extra time? Now that I think about it, aren't kids _supposed_ to get spanked on their birthday no matter how well they behave? Once for each year and then one to grow on, right?"

"Yeah, except it's not my birthday."

"An inconsequential detail. I've never actually done that to you, though, so I guess that would be . . . twenty-eight . . . sixty-six . . ." He grinned cruelly. "What do you think of being belted ninety times?"

Naruto blanched and muttered, "I think my ass'd have to be surgically reattached."

He received a hard set of knuckles to his skull. "Wouldn't matter much if your mouth got permanently removed too, would it?"

He rubbed the point of impact on his head, easing the slight pain there. "You'd have a hard time beating me--I don't hold very still. I have one of those disorders where I suffer sudden brain death if I'm still for too long."

His father snorted. "I used to have that, too. Still do, when it happens to be convenient. In fact, sometimes it's entirely _too_ convenient."

"Never _too_ convenient, just always there when you need it." He glanced at the alarm clock on his beside table. "Aren't you supposed to be in the office by now?"

"Took the morning off to get the apartment."

"Ah. Well, I'll be leaving soon and if Mom gets upset when she comes home, tell her I'm . . . Wait . . . How old am I?"

The startled, saddened look his father gave him made him regret asking, but it was far too late to take it back. "Twelve."

"Mm. Then tell her I'm twelve and a ninja--I can live anywhere."

"I doubt she'll be reassured."

"Daddy," Nyoko put in, "will you play wif me and dollies?"

"Sure, baby. We'll have a tea party in a minute. Why don't you get the girls ready?" He set her down and watched her toddle out of sight. Returning his attention to his son, he said, "Let me know when you're ready to leave and I'll show you the way."

"All right. Enjoy your tea."

A bit less than an hour later, Naruto finished packing. He found his father in the playroom adjoining Nyoko's bedroom, quietly braiding pigtails in a doll's long red hair. His own hair had apparently been chewed on by shrews, after which Nyoko had come along and put down the mats with a rainbow assortment of ties, barrettes, and clips. The uncaptured locks poked out randomly, adding a deranged perspective to the image.

All he could think to say was, "What about the tea?"

"Finished that about half an hour ago," the Fourth answered distantly, reaching over his daughter's sprawled body for a tiny hair tie. With ease he tied the pigtail off, then admired his work. "There must have been something in it, though, because Nyoko did my hair up and bam--just passed right out."

Naruto took in the six dolls before him. "So you did their hair?"

"I don't exactly make a habit of taking days off. What else was I supposed to do--clean the house? How did you intend to find me in a reasonable amount of time?"

He stared, then shook his head. "No. I don't care. Mom can deal with you. I'm going to wait in the hall--say good-bye to your harem."

It was not long before the Fourth showed up with Nyoko's limp body in his arms. "Now to find---Ah. Hitomi, your timing is impeccable."

How she kept a straight face when confronted with such a picture, Naruto did not know. "Lost her, did you?"

He relinquished Nyoko reluctantly. "Yeah. Engines were all ahead full, but there was a core failure that resulted in a total systems shutdown."

"I see. I'll get the basket."

"Thank you."

He began to pull the accessories from his hair; Naruto moved to assist after a moment. "I thought you were going to leave them in."

"If I didn't have an image to uphold, I might have."

"_Image_?"

"I _am_ a very important representative of the Fire Country. Fond as I am of my daughter's attempts to tame my unruly hair, for the sake of the country's collective dignity I can't display her cosmetic malpractice, no matter how endearing I find it." He placed the last clip in Naruto's hands. "Now watch. This is why inheriting my hair isn't the blight your mother thinks it is." He ruffled the length of his hair a few times and when he stopped it appeared as it usually did. "See? Handy. No brush or mirror required."

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

Actually, a cat coughing up a hairball is _not_ wet-sounding, as far as I know, but that was better than saying 'vomiting'. _My_ cat kind of dry-huffs (not heaves--_huffs_) for a while (and if it goes on long enough she'll start whistling, which is _really_ entertaining), then apparently swallows it again, if she even brings anything up. Or at least, I have to _assume_ it's a hairball, because she's done it ever since I knew her (she was originally a stray) and it sounds _way_ different when she throws up (this distinction is handy when I have to get her to an appropriate location in a hurry).

Also, I have a young tom (my mom _almost_ diced him with our tractor's cutter bar while mowing an overgrown field, but noticed him just in time, so we took him in when we realized he was too young to fend for himself) who has done the same thing on the rarer occasion. He doesn't bathe himself _nearly_ as often or thoroughly as the queen, though he bathes more than our older tom, who barely washes anything aside from his privates and almost _never_ makes this strange behavior and noise. Thoughts, anyone?

---

Orange juice and milk _do not_ go well together, I can tell you from personal experience.

---

I'm not overly familiar with Latin or its conjugations, but I'm almost positive that _magna cum pellidentium_ does _not_ mean 'by the skin of the teeth'. Not literally, anyway. Yes, I'm sure 'pellidentium' is 'teeth', but 'magna cum' is not 'by the skin of the'. For those who may not know, in American high schools and colleges, you can graduate, graduate _cum laude_ (with honors), graduate _magna cum laude_ (with high honors), or graduate _summa cum laude_ (with supreme honors) depending on our grade point average. Or something like that--feel free to correct me if I'm wrong (or let me know if there are other levels).

_Magna cum pellidentium_ was said (perhaps even coined) by a real-life college dean, who, at a graduation ceremony, announced (I assume in jest) that because of the graduates' GPAs there would be a new category added to the levels of graduation, thus _magna cum pellidentium_--'by the skin of the teeth'.

---

Remember, Nyoko can mimic Naruto's throwing style because both Narutos trained at the academy, so their styles are either identical or virtually so.

---

I assure you, there's no need for concern over Nyoko's health--the tea was imaginary.

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	8. Induction

**Author's Note:** It's chapter eight! Naruto runs into some familiar faces again and Shinju learns she doesn't have to be scared of everything she sees.

Okay, I was listening to the _Labyrinth_ (1986) soundtrack the other night while alternating between reading an FF7 fic and a Naruto fic. Being a Yondy fan, I confess that I couldn't help myself. Anyone who has seen this movie surely knows what I'm talking about already--Yondaime the Goblin King (only without the wig, 'cause, you know, he doesn't actually _need_ it). Wouldn't that be awesome? It would make a nice picture, those gloves and that outdated silk shirt with those criminally tight pants . . .

Now you wish you hadn't read that, don't you? Ha ha.

_Anyway_, the more I thought about it, the more I was like, "Yondaime could _totally_ be the Goblin King." I mean, I can imagine him as being either a good singer (maybe not excellent, but good) or an absolutely atrocious one (in particular, one who sings badly just to annoy people, whether or not he actually _can_ sing). And Naruto would be Toby (that should be a given, whether or not you believe the Fourth is Naruto's father).

Hm . . . Kinda makes me want to write a little _Door Number Two_ omake where Hotaru is Sarah . . . Hey, that's not a bad idea. Anyone interested?

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 2,499

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 1/24/07

**Disclaimer:** Ha ha! That's a good one . . .

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Eight - Induction

* * *

"So what do you think, Shinju?" he asked as he finished his supper, listening to the rain fall on the roof.

"It's very nice, Naruto-sama. It must be very expensive."

"That's what I thought as well, but it's actually quite reasonable." He had been surprised at how cheap it had been, initially, considering that he was the 'fox-child'. The rent for his usual apartment was twice what a normal person would have paid and he had made quite a scene in the superintendent's office, claiming at the top of his lungs that the only reason the price was so good was because the Hokage was with him and that the old fool might as well just go ahead and charge him double for it right then instead of pretending that it was all right and then randomly upping the rent at an unknown date. The embarrassing scene that followed was still in the fore of his mind. _Egh. Next time, Fox-bastard, don't let me run off at the mouth like that!_

_Oh, but it was so **amusing**! The look on your stupid father's face was priceless!_

There was a knock at the door and Shinju jumped almost eagerly from her chair to answer it. A moment later she screamed and slammed the door shut, then rushed back to the kitchen and tried to hide in the corner.

"Shinju?"

He left the table and went to the door. On the other side, Sasuke and Itachi halted in what appeared to be a brewing physical conflict. ". . . Guys?"

They separated immediately and bowed. "Naruto-sama!"

"Er . . ." _Sasuke_ was _bowing to him_. To _Naruto Uzumaki_, dead last of their year. While not exactly an unexplored fantasy, he had never really expected it to happen. _Well, I should probably cross that off the 'Never in a Million Years' list. _"Hi." He stepped aside and gestured for them to come in. "I hope you weren't looking for the previous tenant."

"No. We didn't expect you, though," Itachi admitted. "Do you, er, have a girlfriend?"

"_Girlfriend_? Of course not. Why would I want one at this point? Why would you even---_Oh_. Shinju, come on out!" He closed the door and motioned at the couch. "Have a seat, guys. Want anything to drink? We're fully-stocked."

"No, thank you. We'll be heading home after this."

Shinju inched slowly into the room, her arms held up in front of her chest defensively and her eyes averted from the brothers. Naruto watched her, then glanced briefly at his guests before going over to her.

"Shinju? What's wrong?"

Her reply was mumbled.

"It's what?"

She raised her voice only slightly. "It's their eyes."

"What about them?"

"They're demon eyes."

"_What_? Are you _joking_? You know about Ero-sennin but you don't know the Uchihas?"

_Remind her about Obito._

_Who the hell's Obito?_

_Your teacher's teammate under your father. He's an Uchiha also, according to the punk._

"What about Obito?" he recited obediently, gentling his voice for her so she did not feel as though she was being accused of anything. "Dad's student? He's an Uchiha."

"But he doesn't have those eyes."

"That's because it's something they call on. Come here and---_No_, just come here and sit down. They aren't possessed."

Sasuke looked at Itachi. "We're possessed?"

Itachi shrugged. "News to me."

"Sorry," Naruto offered with a sigh, carefully forcing Shinju to sit next to Itachi. "She's shy and apparently very superstitious--thinks you're demons."

They looked at him blankly.

"Your _eyes_."

There was a long pause.

Finally, Sasuke said, "How could she not know about our bloodline?"

"She's not from Konoha. Long story short, her father didn't deserve her so Dad took her in. We're here so she can go to school."

"Then I believe congratulations are in order here," Itachi decided, turning to Shinju. "So congratulations."

As bashful as Hinata had ever been with Naruto, Shinju stuttered, "Th-Th-Thank you."

Itachi released the Sharingan and quietly convinced her to look up at him, which led to a basic but informative explanation of what the Sharingan was and what it meant and how it was used. The knowledge seemed to put Shinju at ease and she participated a little more easily as they became more acquainted with one another. In the meantime, Sasuke accepted the duty of enlightening Naruto as to the purpose of their visit.

"This is our district. If something's happening, we're the ones you call during the day. Of course, you don't _have_ to call us, but we'll be the closest patrol to you at any given time. And just between us, we can pick up a surprising amount of information. Itachi has very good ears--he just _knows_ things that I don't remember hearing."

"I what?" Itachi asked.

"Know things."

"About what?"

"Never mind." Sasuke turned to Naruto and assured, "Trust me--he does."

"I'll keep that in mind," Naruto acknowledged. "So do you do this with everyone or am I a special case?"

"We do this with every new incoming resident. It's good PR--they learn they don't have to fear us and we have a chance to identify them without distractions."

"How did you know we were here?"

"The proprietors always let us know, though we usually get word from the grapevine first. However, we weren't told why you're here."

"I told you--so Shinju can go to school."

"Yes, but why you too? . . . If it's all right that I ask."

Naruto narrowed his eyes. He knew that tone as well as he knew the 'You're In Trouble' tone. "What have you heard? Don't give me that look--I don't care about names."

". . . It's ridiculous."

"Something I'm known for."

"Well . . . They say the Hokage kicked you out for being apathetic about something."

Naruto gawked. _That was the best they could come up with? That's lame. Back home . . ._

"I most certainly did not," a new voice corrected.

Sasuke and Itachi leaped up as though they had been burned and saluted. Shinju followed an instant later, bowing deeply. Naruto looked around casually and eyed the red handprint on the left side of his father's face. "What happened to you?"

"May I come in?" was the exasperated reply. "It's really wet and cold out here."

"Why would you even have to ask?"

"Because it's _polite_."

"_You're_ paying for it."

"I'm not _living_ here."

Naruto rolled his eyes and went to the door. "All right. Welcome to my humble abode, Hokage-sama. I am honored by your presence. Please come in." His eyes moved to the floor and he added, "Before the floor repairs from water damage have to come out of the security deposit. May I take your coat?"

The Fourth entered and waved informally at the two brothers as Naruto closed the door behind him. "Easy, boys. I'm off duty and you should be, too. Oh. Well, thank you very much, Shinju." He began to scrub his hair dry with the towel she had brought to him.

"Want something to drink, Dad?"

"Anything hot."

"Hot chocolate it is, then. Sit _down_, Shinju--I'll get it."

"But Naruto-sama . . ."

"He's right, Shinju," the Fourth reminded her, chiding gently. "You're a student now. You aren't required to do anything you don't have to. I'm sure it'll be a hard habit to break, but I know you'll do fine."

"Mm . . . Hokage-sama, I don't . . . I don't think I can . . . do this."

"Why not?"

She flinched. ". . . Never mind."

Her took her shoulders in his hands. "Shinju, if there's something upsetting you, please tell me. I want this to work for you."

"Well, I just . . . It's all very strange and . . . won't it be embarrassing?"

"Strange . . . Yes, it'll seem a little alien at first, but try it for a while, okay? For me?"

Naruto stepped out of the kitchen with the mug of hot chocolate in time to witness the use of a technique he had utilized many times to get Iruka to buy him ramen: the Massive Blue Eyes of Irresistibility. Shinju, not even aware that her inability to say no was being very gently taken advantage of, nodded.

"And as for embarrassing," the Fourth went on, "it won't be at all unless you let it. Few people can go through the garbage that you did and come out smelling like a rose like you did. It's nothing to be ashamed of; it means you're made of sterner stuff than some other people are. But if you need some kind of reassurance . . . um . . . Well, I generally save this until a girl decides to leave the house, but you have, technically, and this is a big step for you, so . . ." He felt around in his pockets. ". . . Blast. The one day I forget it . . . Naruto, let me have that. Thanks." He sipped from the mug. "Mm. Who taught you to make hot chocolate? Can they teach me?"

_There's no way I'm telling him I've been making the stuff for myself since I was four._ "Natural talent. The tuition is free, but you'll have to be punctual. I can work around your schedule, but you have to give me at least a half-hour of warning."

His father nodded solemnly. "I'll have my people call your people."

Oh, how Naruto wished his father had lived. The banter came so easily--even though they were practically strangers as far as he was concerned--and was so much fun . . .

_Don't blame me,_ Kyuubi warned. _Nobody **told** him to off himself._

_Shut up. You're supposed to be finding a way for us to get home before I get too attached to this place._

_Since when?_ the fox-demon demanded sharply. _I'm not your private library and research department._

_Since_ _**now**. Snap to it, Fox-bastard._

"You boys don't mind being witnesses, do you?" the Fourth asked the Uchihas.

"We'd be honored, sir," Itachi replied.

"Ah. My thanks." He turned to Shinju. "Well, the Pencil of Ceremonies couldn't be with us tonight, but I don't suppose it really matters because the Pencil represents education, which is what you are moving into. Instead, we will use the Cup"--he indicated the mug and its contents with a light flourish--"of Wisdom."

"That's a very small cup," Naruto could not help but comment.

"It's _symbolic_," his father told him, then added, "Your mother and I were arguing once and I asked her why she had decided to stay with me after I helped her. She said she must have been stupid, to which I replied that I was very happy to know, because one always hears of others falling out of love, but never out of stupidity. And like stupidity, the _true_ Cup of Wisdom has no bounds, which is why you always see very wise people doing very stupid things, at which point you have---"

"Blackmail material."

His father looked down at him, then smiled generously and patted him on his head. "You have learned well since you were spawned. You will be spared from this year's culling."

The Fourth then returned his attention to poor Shinju, who looked ready to faint. "As I was saying--and no more interruptions, my spawn--since you are about to be educated, we will turn to the Cup"--he made another small flourish that was identical to the first--"of Wisdom for guidance." He placed the mug on her right shoulder. "Hotaru has generously provided me with a biological son and daughter." He paused as if to add something else, then shrugged and moved the mug to her left shoulder. "However, Hotaru has also graciously provided me with many adopted daughters, without which I never would have become a grandfather at twenty-five." He placed the mug on her head. "And now you are free to join their ranks because from here on you are a daughter of the Hokage."

He reclaimed the mug and took a gulp of the hot chocolate. "So now, if you want, you may call me Dad or Father or, if you prefer, you may continue to refer to me as Hokage. It's all whatever you're comfortable with." He took another drink. "Of course, as your father I reserve the right to tell embarrassing stories about you to your friends or boyfriend and to throw surprise birthday parties for you, especially if you expressly forbade me from doing so."

He pointed at Naruto. "As your brother, Naruto has the right to be an insufferable pest, but he will also help you study and defend your honor from those with ill intentions. As his sister you can spend an hour and a half in the bathroom every morning doing whatever women do in there and dispense dating advice whether or not he asks for it. You can argue about who'll cook, clean, or do laundry and about whether or not the toilet seat should be left up or down. Hotaru and I still can't agree on that one."

At least now, Naruto consoled himself, whenever people in _his_ world commented on his idiocy he could take comfort in the fact that he came by it honestly--his father was full of it. It was an inheritance he had carefully honed into an barrier that virtually no one could see through, which was apparently something his father had done as well. Kakashi had told him once, when he had been upset by something but trying to not give it away, that it was the best mask of all.

A headset crackled nearby and an annoyed female voice snapped, "Are you two coming home or not? Your food is getting cold and I _won't_ reheat it."

Itachi started to look through his uniform for the item and Sasuke said, "We should go. Just remember that we're your district's patrol unit, Naruto-sama and Miss Shinju, so you can call us if you need assistance."

Itachi finally drew out the headset and held it against the side of his head. "We're on our way in." He pocketed it and the two saluted.

The Fourth nodded in response as Naruto saw them to the door. "Bye, guys. Feel free to drop in any time."

The door's closing seemed to bring Shinju out of a stunned trance. ". . . Hokage-sama?"

"Hm?"

She inched forward, then hesitantly hugged his ribs. "Thank you."

He put his free arm around her and rested his cheek on her head. "There's always room for one more."

Naruto yawned and checked the time. "It's late. Are you staying over, Dad?"

"If I could impose."

He rolled his eyes. "It's not an imposition. _You_ paid the rent for this place--at least for the first two months you can come over and do whatever you like."

"I'll remember that. Have you two organized your rooms?"

"Shinju has. I haven't because I made supper."

His father turned to him with wide eyes. "You can _cook_?"

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

**

* * *

**

Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:

There was a guy who rode the same school bus that my sisters and I did. He was about my older sister's age and I don't think he quite knew when to shut his mouth, because he was _always_ picking at my sister for dressing so much like a boy (as if it never happens). The thing he failed to remember was that my sister can be _extremely_ aggressive and they got into arguments virtually every day (believe me, it was _not_ some kind of suppressed romance thing or I would have long since teased her about it) and actually physically fought at least once. During one of these arguments, when my sister and this guy were staring at each other, this guy told my sister, and I quote, "You got demon eyes."

For the record, both my older sister and my younger sister have blue eyes. That's it. Neither does or has worn contacts to change or enhance their irises. It kind of makes me wonder what that guy thinks he saw. Unless he was just trying to make her mad, in which case he did the exact opposite, because my sister thought she was the greatest thing since sliced bread for _weeks_ afterward.

---

I'm sure there are points when even Itachi isn't paying more attention than he has to.

---

Red handprint? Ouch. Hotaru _definitely_ didn't take Naruto's moving out very well.

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	9. Surprises

**Author's Note:** Chapter nine covers two important points in manners: Always be ready for guests and never wait until someone is drinking something before sharing earth-shattering information.

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 3,073

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 1/27/07

**Disclaimer:** Not yet.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Nine - Surprises

* * *

_Whoops._ "Yeah, I can cook."

"_How_?"

"I used a cookbook."

_What's a cookbook?_ Kyuubi asked. _You didn't use a book of any kind today._

_Shh!_

_What, you expect them to hear me?_

"Do you have any other secret talents I should know about?"

"I don't know. What talents do I have that you're aware of?"

"I think I'm going to go to bed," Shinju interrupted, successfully diffusing another tense reminder of how little Naruto knew. "Do either of you need anything?"

"Not me," Naruto answered.

"Nor I," his father agreed. "Go on, Shinju. You've had a big day today."

"Yes sir."

They watched her leave and when the door to her room had been shut, the Fourth looked at Naruto. "I am assigning myself the task of convincing her to at least stop calling me 'sir' as soon as possible. Don't let me forget."

"Am I your daily agenda or something?"

"You're my witness and I'm telling you to use that power." He flopped down onto the couch and flung his arm over his eyes. "Go ahead and turn the lights out whenever you decide to go to bed."

Naruto frowned. _Is he serious?_ "You aren't sleeping out here."

"I can sleep wherever I like. You said so."

"Yes, but I never said I couldn't complain about it. I'm not letting you sleep there--this end of the apartment is cold and since you're in those wet clothes you'll catch one."

"I'm a big boy. I can take responsibility for my own health."

"Mom'd be angry at me."

"No she wouldn't. Everything's my fault as far as she's concerned--you're incapable of error. Anyway, I'd only get your bed wet."

"But the morning sun will dry the sheets. You're getting the couch wet now and it'll be way colder out here all day; it'll never dry."

"Then where should I sleep, aside from your bed?"

"The bathtub. The bathroom ceiling has heat lamps."

". . . Really? Hotaru's always wanted some, but I never saw the reason--maybe I _should_ sleep in there."

"_No_. There isn't room for a futon and Shinju would probably have a heart attack if she found you passed out in the tub." Naruto crossed his arms. "What you're going to do is go into the bathroom and take those clothes off before you catch something and die, then lay them out and turn the heat lamp on to dry them. Then you will sleep in my bed."

"I'll catch a cold if I strip," his father pointed out.

"Then I'll get you a robe."

". . . You don't have one in my size."

"No, but it'll keep you warm enough. And when I go shopping I'll find you a robe _and_ pajamas so that the next time Mom kicks you out all we'll have to argue about is where you're going to sleep."

"If I sleep in your bed, where will _you_ sleep?"

"On the couch."

"So it's okay for _you_ to catch a cold, but not me?"

"My job doesn't require perfect health at this point. Would you like to try representing the Fire Country--or even just Konoha--with a runny nose?"

That was when Naruto realized it. _Oh dear gods, I sound exactly like Iruka-sensei._

The look on the Fourth's face, though, was definitely worth it. ". . . All right, you win." He got up and went into the bathroom.

"And take a shower to warm up!" Naruto called after him, trying not to bother Shinju but still be heard. He went to his room and began to push things around, getting them out of the way so there was a clear path from the door to the bed. He then set up a few items he would need that night and the next day, pulled on his pajamas, grabbed his toothbrush, and went to the bathroom. He listened at the door, but there was no sound of the shower running. "Dad?"

The door opened to reveal his father's dreamily-smiling face. The bathroom was bathed in fruit punch-red light and the heat was not dissimilar to a sauna. "As soon as I get home I'm going to have heat lamps installed in every bathroom."

"Mom'll be thrilled." He went to the sink to brush his teeth, retrieving a new toothbrush for the Fourth. "Here."

"Thanks. Are you _sure_ I can't stay in here?"

"Look, if it were just you and me in this, I'd let you sleep in the _kitchen_ if you wanted and say I told you so when you got sick. But Shinju would be totally mortified and then Mom would tear us both in half."

He finished there and went back to his room to make the bed. He had forgotten this prior because he was usually a little late and simply did not have time in the mornings. Actually, most of the bed-making that he did was a ritual he performed only after stripping his bed for his bed-laundering days. On those dates he would make the bed with care, but had never expected it to last long. Either nightmares or active REM cycles uprooted his work, often on the same night he had put so much effort into it. He was just through with turning down the sheets when the Fourth came into the room dressed only in his boxers.

"Where's the robe?"

"It didn't fit. At all. I could have worn it, but not slept in it."

"All right, I guess it doesn't matter as long as you're dry--the covers will handle the rest. Good night."

He headed for the door and just as they reached a spot right beside each other, the Fourth reached down and grabbed him around the waist. He felt his feet leave the floor and the world spun as he fell forward. When it was still he discovered he was being held as though he was five, one of his father's arms beneath him and the other around his back.

". . . How did you do that?"

"Very carefully. You used to love it when you were little, but I haven't done it since you were six."

"Why?"

"I don't know. You just did."

"No, I mean why did you do it?"

"Aside from just seeing if I still could? Because I don't know where you got the idea that I was going to let you sleep on the couch, but I won't."

"The bed's not big."

"Neither are you. We can both fit."

"If I'm on the floor in the morning, you will die."

"You won't be, I promise."

The promise was guaranteed by the fact that Naruto was apparently going to be sleeping against the wall. The overhead light was turned out and they settled down back to back, both drifting to sleep in moments. Naruto woke soon after, though, to the sound of hospital machinery and a door closing. At first he thought he was alone, but then he was aware of a tense silence and knew exactly who was there.

"Hi, Naruto," Iruka greeted softly. "Sasuke told me yesterday what happened, but for some reason there's been a backlog of assignments recently. I didn't leave the administration building until after midnight and with midterms tomorrow I just couldn't find the energy to come see you. I'm sorry. It's really not an excuse."

Of course it was an excuse, and an acceptable one at that. Either he visited Naruto or he got enough sleep to give midterm exams. Little kids with weapons were more dangerous than adults with weapons and Naruto knew this because he used to be one of them. If Iruka did not get the sleep he needed, he could be hurt.

"I'm here now, though, if that means anything. I see that Sakura has left you flowers and Hinata brought you a little stuffed frog and somebody else left what I guess is food--it's really wrapped up in tape, so I can't get into it and find out what it is. Doesn't look like ramen, though; too flat. I guess whoever got it thought it might be tampered with before you woke otherwise. I'll take it home for you, okay? Don't worry about your plants--I'll take care of them.

"And Naruto?" Iruka's voice dropped a little and hesitated. ". . . Nobody knows what happened to you out there, but the seal is . . . well, it's not _broken_, but it's . . . in pieces. It's holding its shape, but parts of it have vanished. We tried to keep it from the council, but one of the doctors undoubtedly told them and they've decided that if the nine-tails manifests as a result of the seal's instability, you'll have to be killed. So be careful, all right? Keep yourself together as long as you can. The Godaime is looking for an answer."

He sighed. "I'm sorry this is such a short visit, but I have a class to teach and if I'm not there it's hard to say what they'll do. I promise I'll come see you later."

The door opened and closed and for several minutes all he heard was a heart monitor. The door then opened and shut again and after a moment he started to have trouble breathing. It was as though someone very heavy had sat on his chest. He wanted to cough, but that required breath to be drawn in and he could not do it. His consciousness fluttered tremulously and panic began to set in. He could not breathe and could not move to find a way _to_ breathe . . .

Suddenly, he felt Kyuubi surge past him and let out something akin to a roar. He dimly noted a quick burst of the fox's chakra before the demon turned around and sort of herded him away with soft nudges. When he failed to move fast enough, he was grabbed by the back of the neck and carried.

_Very well, boy. I will find a way home for you without you having to pester me._

A few seconds later, the breath he tried to draw in came normally and he automatically started to cough. He sat up and had enough sense to cram his face into his pillow--fortunately, his other self shared his insistence on having two pillows instead of just one--to avoid waking the Fourth, but when he tried to breathe in to cough some more, everything fit.

_They tried to suffocate me._

Kyuubi's presence was acquiescent. _It would have worked, too, since you could not move._

_I would have died . . ._

_I doubt it,_ the fox replied,_ considering the current situation, but I took action to prevent it from happening again._

_You know, I really do appreciate it, but you shouldn't have done it. Didn't you hear what Iruka-sensei said?_

_Nothing will happen. Most of me is here with you--I cannot 'manifest' in the way your council implied. Not without help. Plus, it will only happen in the event that your body is tampered with in a harmful fashion and I'm sure one of your friends will make the connection. They're humans, but they aren't **entirely** stupid._

When his breathing eased, he checked to make sure the Fourth was still asleep and then crawled as delicately out of bed as he could manage. He padded to the door, letting out a single involuntary cough, and headed out to the kitchen. The dishes were still on the table--even Shinju had forgotten to pick them up. He could wash them while he tried to relax.

He had been there for probably fifteen minutes when someone said, "Bad dream?"

"I thought you were asleep."

"I was lying. You really think I wouldn't notice something was wrong with someone who was right beside me?"

He shrugged and scrubbed at a stubborn spot on Shinju's plate. "Sorry I woke you."

The Fourth leaned on the counter with him. "You sound like it's been happening a lot."

He shrugged again.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"What could anyone possibly do about it, aside from putting me on drugs? If I train hard, I'll be too tired to dream."

"Sometimes talking about it helps."

He shook his head. "Tried that."

"It doesn't always wake you up like this, does it?"

"Not usually, no. Only the really nasty ones."

". . . If it gets worse, please say something. Don't just suffer through it--you'll get hurt."

Naruto looked up at him, then smiled slightly. ". . . Okay, Dad."

With that arranged, the Fourth looked down at the sudsy sink with something akin to mild shame. "I had no idea you were so domestic. Cooking, dishes . . . laundry?"

"I even pre-treat, if necessary."

"Ooh, fascinating. And how did you come to acquire this knowledge?"

"You do funny things when you're bored."

"Do you clean?"

"Yes, but only if I'm constantly reminded to do it. If I can get Shinju to harass me there shouldn't be a problem." He rinsed off the last dish and put it in the strainer. "Want some hot chocolate?"

"If you aren't going to go to bed, yes."

"Then watch. I'll show you how to make this stuff right."

"Ah, yes. I will use this information to charm your mother when I do something I wasn't aware I was not supposed to do."

"Yeah, well, don't tell her I showed you. You'll look bad."

Five minutes later they were sitting at the table, waiting for their drinks to cool down. The Fourth had suddenly become very fidgety, but after putting up with Shinju's restlessness when he refused to let her make supper, it was not that bad and so Naruto ignored his father and took a sip of his hot chocolate instead.

". . . Your mother's pregnant."

He gasped involuntarily and choked as the chocolate-flavored liquid tried to take the unintentional invitation to get into his lungs. A few sharp gags followed and when he finally got control of his reflexes he looked at the Fourth, who seemed very concerned by his reaction.

"_What_?"

"Your mother's pregnant."

His mind reeled momentarily at the news. He was going to be a big brother. Not that he was not already, but he had not been there with Nyoko so hearing this was . . . very unreal. "As in . . . having a _baby_?"

"No, as in having _puppies_."

He ignored the sarcasm. ". . . _How_?!"

"Oh, please don't tell me I have to give you the lecture about sex _again_ . . ."

"No, I mean . . ." He stopped and took a deep breath, setting his mug firmly on the table. "Let me try something else. That's the reason you're here, isn't it? Mom found out that I was gone, had a fit, blamed you, hit you, and in her rage somehow equated you letting me test my wings, as it were, with some kind of disgusting inhumanity that she thinks you're going to inflict on the new baby she's going to have in X number of months."

His father sighed heavily. "For not knowing your mother, you know her very well. And it's seven months, by the way. Which," he mused, "explains perfectly why she's been so tired and temperamental recently."

"It's nice to hear you're so miserable about it," Naruto told him cynically. "Were you that delighted about _my_ impending birth?"

"Yes. Things are just in really bad shape right now, Naruto. There are a lot of long-term assignments and not enough ninja still here to get the short-term ones done. I'm having to put the ANBU on C-class assignments."

"Sounds like a vacation to me."

"Yes, but since they're doing those I have few to spare to post as guards. I was going to send the ones at the house to watch your back while you trained, but your mother will eventually stop going into the village every day. That leaves out the MP checking up on her unless they go out of their way and I'd ask them to do it, but I need their eyes and ears in the village--especially since your mother won't be going back and forth and reporting every day. And it really bothers me that there will be times that Nyoko won't be under guard. She may not be a ninja, but at times she thinks like one and that's why Hitomi keeps losing track of her. I watched her today after I left you here and she needs a ninja who can predict her moves and not underestimate what she's capable of to at least _help_ Hitomi babysit her."

Naruto inclined his head. They were all very plausible concerns. "Okay. If I can give you an answer will you stop being so depressed?"

"About being a father for a third go-around? If you can give me a reasonable answer I'd be happy to."

"All right, now Dad, I'm only twelve but I _am_ a ninja---"

"How did I know you were going to say this?"

"You don't because you haven't let me finish," Naruto snapped. "Now don't interrupt."

"Okay, okay . . ."

"As I was saying, I'm only twelve but I _am_ still a ninja. I have the capacity to tell when I'm neck-deep in it and find a way out. I can call for help when I need it. Now, the problem is that there might be more than one of them and the aim would be to attack me to leave the house and Mom and Nyoko unguarded. I would assume that's the case, anyway, as it's something I would do if it were me, and suggest picnic lunches."

". . . Beg your pardon?" his father prompted flatly.

"Picnic lunches. Hitomi and Nyoko and Mom can come down to the training field and watch me or teach Nyoko things about nature. Both of them can watch her, so it's less likely that she'll be able to wander off. And if she does, the guards will be there keeping an eye on all of us. If we _are_ attacked, the guards can run interference and I can make sure Mom, Nyoko, and Hitomi get someplace safe. And of course, I won't need to be watched here in the village because the MP are patrolling all the time."

His father scowled at him for a time, then smiled. "Okay. We'll give it a try."

They quietly finished up their hot chocolate and returned to bed.

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

Iruka's the type who'd attain immortality through concerned admonitions, isn't he?

---

Whoo-hoo! Yondy in his undies!

Sorry. I _swear_ I didn't write that scene _just_ for that image (if that were the case, I would've put him in briefs instead).

Though I'm not sorry I _did_ write it . . .

---

Poor Iruka. He always worries so much. It can't be healthy.

---

So there it is: Kyuubi's seal is split between the two worlds. Fortunately, since Naruto has good control of Kyuubi's chakra at this point, between him and what's left of the seal, Kyuubi's power is contained in both places. That means, though, that Kyuubi's chakra is equally divided even if he can still make use of the chakra in both locations.

As you may have guessed, that's how Naruto is able to travel between the worlds occasionally; he subconsciously follows the wisps of Kyuubi's power back and forth.

---

Video game fans, please remember that MP--in this case--stands for 'Military Police' and not 'Magic Points' or 'Mana Points'. I realize that sounds like a no-brainer, but I assure you, I have confused myself _many_ times by making this mistake.

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	10. Threat

**Author's Note:** Chapter ten! More of the undressed blond duo! Shinju goes to school, father and son have some ramen, and Naruto runs into a problem that's much, much bigger than everyone thinking he's a spy.

It has been mentioned to me that some find Naruto's 'jumps' home confusing without a line break of some kind. While I understand _how_ it could be confusing, it is--first of all--not entirely intended to make sense for a few minutes. Second, I don't use line breaks _unless_ I'm skipping a significant amount of time (which I was not, in that instance, because right at the moment Naruto fell asleep in parallelverse he 'woke up' in canonverse) _or_ I'm switching between two characters whose physical distance is so far that I can't possibly transfer attention from one to the other smoothly. I apologize for the confusion, but I ask that you bear with me--such jumps will come to a close soon enough.

Also--and this is probably obvious, but I'm going to say it anyway--if you're an anonymous reviewer and you would like me to respond to your review personally, please leave your e-mail address. Some of you have been asking questions and I would like to answer them, but I can't because there's no way to establish contact. I don't _mind_ you asking questions and not leaving an addy, but don't expect that I answer it in my author's notes unless it's _extremely_ important. This website frowns on in-chapter review replies and I agree that it can clutter up page space, so I won't be answering anonymous reviews without an e-mail address or, if it's urgent enough, answering in-chapter without good reason.

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 2,892

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 1/31/07

**Disclaimer:** Don't torment me so . . .

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Ten - Threat

* * *

He woke later that morning cradled in a hammock made of a bed sheet that had been tied between two bolts in opposing walls. He was annoyed even though he was not touching the floor, but the more he thought about it the more he liked it. He was rather high up, well within touching distance of the ceiling if he simply got up onto his knees. The perspective gave him an aerial view of his room and since he was almost against the wall and there was no window except on the far wall--the bolts must have supported some kind of drapery for someone to change behind--he could see anyone trying to sneak up on him that way.

"Good morning."

He leaned over the edge of the hammock very carefully. "Why am I up here?"

"Because your kicking kept me awake."

"I don't kick."

"You did last night. I think you overheated, because I know I did, so I put you up there. You slept through everything."

"How much sleep did you get?"

"About four hours."

"Sorry."

"No no, that's a lot more than I would've gotten if I'd kept wondering how I was going to keep everyone safe. Are you hungry?"

"Yeah. Give me a minute and I'll go make something."

"_I'll_ do it."

"You can't _cook_."

"I can so!"

"All right, fine. I'll take a shower and you make breakfast." He rolled backward, causing the hammock to flip over and dump him, then completed the flip and landed with unusual grace on the floor. He grabbed a fresh pair of boxers and went to the bathroom; he was relieved that the smell of burning food did not greet him when he stepped out.

"See?" his father insisted. "I can cook."

"Yes you can. I apologize."

"That's nice to hear. Eat."

Naruto looked down at the loaded plate he had been given. "Gee, where's the food?"

"What, are you telling me you can't eat it all?"

"Are you challenging me?"

"Am I?"

"How long do you think it'd take me to eat this?"

"Dunno. Never seen you eat quickly." The Fourth made up two more plates, but before he could leave the room Shinju rushed in, panicked. "What's the matter, Shinju?"

"I have to make breakfast!" she cried, and it took a moment for her to realize that things had already been cooked. "Oh, Hokage-sama, I'm so sorry!"

"Shinju, it's all right. Nobody said you had to make breakfast."

"Yes, but---" She turned to face them and let out a yip, clapping her hands over her eyes.

"Now what?"

"You aren't wearing any clothes!"

Naruto and his father, both clad in their boxers, looked down at themselves and then at one another. "Yes we are."

"No you aren't!"

"Dad, just go put some clothes on before she gets upset."

"Why do I have to?"

"Because she and I are living together and she's going to have to get used to me coming out in pajamas or boxers or a towel eventually."

". . . Oh, all right . . ."

When he was gone, Naruto grabbed Shinju's elbow. "Sit down and eat."

"But you're undressed, Naruto-sama!"

"Yeah, well, you're gonna see it a lot more often. _Eat_."

"But Naruto-sama . . ."

"Shinju, I realize that it embarrasses you, but you're really just going to have to get used to it. I won't always be coherent enough to remember that I have a roommate at all, let alone a very shy female one, okay? It's not like I'm wearing briefs or something anyway."

The Fourth returned right then, fully-dressed, and having breakfast together was normal enough that Shinju more or less got over Naruto's lack of clothing. Afterward, Shinju insisted on doing the dishes herself, so Naruto saw his father to the door.

"I hate to say it, but you're probably going to have to set down rules," the Fourth told him softly, glancing at the kitchen. "It's going to take her a while to accept that she's no longer expected to do things for you."

Naruto nodded. "Now you know why I wanted her out of the house so soon."

"Yes, but don't let her be idle. Make her take walks out around the village or start her lessons early or something so she isn't cooped up in the house like she's used to."

"We still have to check out the districts and I want to get a hammock now, so that'll keep us busy today."

"Good. And if you can't think of anything else, send her up to the office. Just _don't_ let her poke around here."

* * *

It was the first day of school and Shinju was petrified. Naruto simply could not convince her to calm down and eat at least a piece of toast--she claimed she felt ill.

"It's butterflies, Shinju. If you'd just take some time to breathe it wouldn't be so bad."

A knocking at the door interrupted him, so he left her to agonize while he answered it.

"Dad?"

"Having trouble?"

He stepped aside, relieved he had someone on his team. "You have no idea. She acts so demure all the time that you'd never know she's so stubborn."

"I'm glad I came by. I wondered if you were getting along all right. May I?"

"Please."

The Fourth went into the kitchen, Naruto behind him. "Good morning, Shinju."

She jumped up and threw her arms around his neck, startling him. "Oh, Hokage-sama! I'm too scared to go to school!"

He hugged her and stroked her hair comfortingly. "Come now, Shinju," he chided softly. "It can't be that bad. You'll be fine."

"I'm too scared!" she insisted.

". . . You know, Shinju, Naruto didn't want to go to school either. And you know what I did with him?" She sniffled and he said, "I carried him there anyway and it turned out that he had a great time. Now are you going to walk there or am I going to have to carry you, too? I can go with either option."

She blinked at him, then leaned against him again. However, this time it was more for the emotional support than the physical.

The Fourth continued to pet her. "There. Now Shinju, you know I wouldn't intentionally make you do something that would hurt you. You trust me, right?"

"Yes," she whispered.

"Then trust me now. Going to school will be very scary at first, I agree. You'll be in a room with people you've never seen before for a long time, but everything will be fine. By early afternoon you'll be out of there and I won't make you go back if you don't want to. But you'll never know if you could have done it or not if you don't go right now and try it. You have to be brave for me, okay?"

". . . Okay."

"Thank you. Now eat as much of this as you can and then we'll all walk there together."

Twenty minutes later, they reached the school building. Shinju had started to tremble and resist, but a few well-placed, "I can still carry you the rest of the way, you know"s kept her from balking too badly. They stepped over the threshold--the point of no return--into the schoolhouse that was practically next door to the academy and were greeted by the teacher, who was just a bit taller than Shinju.

She bowed quickly. "Hokage-sama! I wasn't aware you would be here!"

"Well, Shinju was nervous so I thought I'd tag along until class started."

"We'll have that fixed soon enough, dear. It's nothing to be embarrassed about at all; kids come in here scared out of their minds all the time. Come over here and let me show you a few things."

Shinju turned wide, frightened eyes on the Fourth, but he smiled and nudged her. "Go ahead. I promise I won't leave until everyone else gets here and I definitely won't leave without telling you."

Naruto and his father watched as the teacher led Shinju around the room and introduced her to the plants, the multitude of live pets, and to the teacher next door whose class could be accessed by a second door in the same wall that the blackboard was on. Shinju seemed much more at ease when she rejoined Naruto and his father, cuddling against the Fourth as though she had always done it and watching as some--not all, but some--of the children who came in put up the same fuss that she had made half an hour before.

"See?" the Fourth prompted gently, rubbing her back with one hand. "You aren't the only one who's nervous about being here. You're all a bunch of strangers to each other, but since you're older they're all going to want to talk to you and do whatever you do. Especially the girls. You'll need to set a good example for them, all right?"

She nodded.

"Good girl. Let's find your seat." They found it and all of them knelt in front of her table a moment. The other parents began to leave, but Naruto and his father stayed until the very last minute. "All right, Shinju, Naruto and I have to go now."

"Okay," she squeaked.

He hugged her one last time and pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "I know you'll do fine. Be good."

When they were outside and the door had shut behind them, the Fourth sighed heavily. "I hope she can make it. Were you going to train today?"

"I thought about it, but then I figured that it would be better to be right there if she really started to panic."

"Mm. Not a bad idea. But I think that she'll be fine for a while--you want to go get some ramen? I saw you hadn't eaten either."

"Even if I had, I'm always up for it."

"Don't tell your mother or Aya about this--they'd lynch me if they knew I was feeding you something as 'lacking in nutrition' as that."

"My lips are sealed."

The best thing about Ichiraku's was that it was never actually _full_. Because it was more a stand than a restaurant, people more often than not ordered something, stood around and waited, then walked off with a to-go container. There were always at least two empty stools and since it was after breakfast but before lunch, the place was very quiet.

"Arashi!" the stand's owner greeted. "It's been what, three days? Where've you been? I was starting to worry that something had happened to you!"

"You know I'd eat here every day if I could manage it," the Fourth replied with a laugh.

"So would I," Naruto murmured to himself. Ichiraku's owner had always been very kind to him, never charging him more than what everyone else paid and sparing him a few nice words whenever he was really down and out. Unless he was with Iruka or his team, though, he usually went around to the back for his order because even though it was never said he was well aware that his mere presence turned other people away. Unfortunately, cup ramen was still cheaper than eating out every day or he would have had the rest of his life's food allowance paid directly to Ichiraku's bank account.

"Naruto?"

He jumped and looked up at the Fourth. "Huh?"

"What do you want?"

"Um . . . Shrimp, please."

"Beef and shrimp it is!" Ichiraku's owner acknowledged.

"You okay?" the Fourth asked. "You looked like you were thinking about something."

". . . Did I really not want to go to school?" he answered, since he remembered hating the schoolhouse with a passion because he was young enough then to not understand that shouting and crying only made things worse when he was teased.

That and the abuse.

He had no one to tell, after all.

"Are you kidding? Naruto, you are an _adventurer_, plain and simple. I know this because I'm one and I can see myself in you all the time. You don't care the least bit where you're going, as long as you're in motion and the way there is interesting. When you were little you always escaped being watched much more quickly than Nyoko does and I never saw it myself, but from reports I heard you left no stone unturned when you left the house. No, on the first day of school you couldn't have been more thrilled. I thought your mother was going to have an aneurysm, though, because at the time you were her one and only baby." He paused thoughtfully. "You know, that's probably why we did so terribly in school."

"It was boring, that's why."

"_Exactly_. We never went anywhere and never did anything _fun_ . . . It was just 'memorize this' and 'remember that'. And then, of course, we didn't want to do it _because_ it wasn't fun and so we didn't pay attention, which meant it took us forever to learn stuff." He nodded. "Yeah. We weren't morons--they simply didn't understand. On the other hand, it all made it that much more entertaining when I became Hokage. You should've been there--well you _were_ there, you just don't remember it--when it was announced that I had been chosen. My academy teacher was so shocked I couldn't help but laugh at her."

He paused again. "Of course, that may have also been because I played all my nastiest pranks on her. I remember her shouting once that if I kept doing things like that I'd never find a woman who wanted to stay with me. Shows what she knew--or didn't." He then grinned down at Naruto. "Then again, it surely helps that your mother can be just as obnoxious as me when she feels like it. Ah, you spoil me, Tatsuya-sama!"

Naruto shrugged and thanked Ichiraku's owner before slurping up a mouthful of noodles. "If that's what you look for in a woman . . ."

"It all goes back to the adventure, Naruto. I may be the Hokage, but your mother doesn't care; it doesn't make me any less an idiot in her eyes. She acknowledges what I can do but will face off with me if she thinks I'm wrong and believe it or not, it doesn't happen as often as others might think. She and I . . ." He waved his chopsticks absently. "Well, I could be really mystical and shit--don't tell your mother that I said that in front of you--and say that we're telepathic or whatever, but we just think a lot alike."

"It sounds like you're afraid of her."

"I'm afraid of her when she's in Mother Mode, yes, because when she's like that I'm apparently incapable of doing anything right even if it's something as simple as changing your sister's diaper--and I had plenty of practice ten years before, when _you_ were a baby. She believes this even though I've been around kids just as long as she has. Maybe longer. I'd like to see _her_ keep an eye on three hyperactive genin who attack anything that moves with very sharp and very dangerous weapons."

"Mom's a little out of touch."

"She's not out of touch as much as she is unwilling to let you go out on your own. She seems to think you'll vanish and never come back if you leave her sight."

Naruto poked at the shrimp floating in his bowl. "I might not."

The Fourth frowned. "That's what I told her when she said she wanted to stay with me." He snorted. "Not that she listens to me unless she _wants_ to . . ."

"Eh, admit it--you're Mom's bitch."

His father choked slightly on his ramen. "_Excuse me_?"

He grinned. ". . . Was it the word or the sting of the truth?"

"You are dead." He started to make a run for it and was completely taken off guard when his father did not even have to leave his seat to catch him. "Now wait--let's just finish eating first. No civilized person leaves ramen behind."

They finished and savored the meal while Ichiraku's owner made change for the payment. After pocketing it, the Fourth turned to Naruto. "I'll give you a five-second head start."

Naruto did not wait for another invitation. He knew the village very well and if he could find a good hiding spot in the vicinity, his father would never be able to find him without looking for his chakra and that would, obviously, be cheating to do so. He turned left to take an alley and found himself trapped.

_Since when was this a dead end?!_

_This is not your home, boy. Not everything will be exactly as you remember._

He moved to leave, but was blocked by a cloaked figure. He hated cloaked people. Back home they had always followed him whenever he took walks at night. When he had been little they had cornered him, tied him up, and dumped him in a garbage can somewhere. When he was older they had beaten on him--it was hard to fight back against something when you had no idea whether there was a body or a weapon behind the flowing fabric.

Without moving, the cloaked person suddenly murmured with soft reverence, "Tenko-sama."

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

Of _course_ the Fourth can cook (palatable food, even if it's not gourmet). He had to make sure his genin lived, didn't he?

---

I bet the Fourth could sell ice to an Eskimo, as the saying goes.

---

I can't remember--they never named Ichiraku's owner/operator, did they?

---

A 'tenko' is a celestial fox. These foxes are at least one thousand years old, usually have nine tails, and occasionally have golden fur. They are considered either _very_ evil or kind and wise.

'Myobu' is another term for a celestial fox, but 'myobu' are specifically the kitsune who serve the deity Inari.

---

So yes, this cloaked person has called Naruto 'Tenko-sama', which--taking the above into account--is obviously a reference to Kyuubi. Whom, if I may remind you, Naruto has not mentioned to _anyone_ in this universe yet.

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Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	11. Safety

**Author's Notes:** Chapter eleven! The danger is past, but for how long? Naruto meets someone from his father's childhood.

Many, _many_ people were kind enough to inform me of Ichiraku's owner's name--thank you very much for that! I'd thought it had been listed somewhere, but couldn't remember it, so I'm just mostly glad that I wasn't doing one of my make-stuff-up things, which tends to happen much too often for my liking.

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 2,984

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 2/3/07

**Disclaimer:** The prefix 'dis-' means 'not'/'no' or some such synonym.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Eleven - Safety

* * *

_Tenko-sama? Bad, bad, bad, bad,_ Naruto decided, feeling fear stir. _How did he know?_

_Oh, so I'm a -sama **now**, when I can't enjoy it?_

_I'm **not** staying here to stroke your ego, Fox-bastard._

_Entertaining as it would be if it were simply words, please don't._

He tried to duck out to the side, but the cloaked person turned with surprising speed and grabbed him, lifting him from the ground. He thrashed and twisted, finally getting the room to bite one of the arms that held him with all the force he could. He was released and wasted no time losing himself in the crowds on the street.

_Dad . . . Dad . . . Find Dad . . ._

_I thought you ought to know that my admirer has friends._

Naruto looked back over his shoulder. Two of the cloaked people were following him--one a bit farther back than the other. He wanted to say something, because he was sure that he could get the villagers to act on his behalf, but considering how easily the one had caught him it was more likely that the villagers would get hurt. He faced forward and nearly walked right into a third cloaked figure, but he slipped sideways and hurried on. He was sure that they would not do anything to him right out in public like this because of all the witnesses, so he would have to _stay_ in public for as long as was possible.

Hands caught him around the ribs, goosing him sharply. "Gotcha!"

He let out a yell and struck outward as he turned, but was easily deflected by the Fourth. Relieved, he flung his arms around his father's ribs. "Dad!"

". . . Naruto? Doesn't this defeat the purpose of the game?" Arashi watched the younger blond turn his head and glance back up the street. He looked as well, the gesture automatic, and saw someone in a cloak disappearing around a corner. Suddenly uneasy, he tightened his grip on his son. People wore cloaks all the time, but they never wore the hood up while they were in the village. It was not law, but it was a courtesy done to convey friendliness and good intentions and he had never heard of anyone coming into Konoha--though it was much more common in other villages, especially the non-ninja ones--and leaving a hood up.

Not illegal and not necessarily something unheard of . . . It still made the hair on the back of his neck stand up, however. He was going to have someone look into this--something about it, as brief as it was, bothered him immensely and he was not one to deny his instincts proper credit for knowing things that he did not.

"Naruto? Did you know that person?" His son's only answer was to nuzzle closer. He rubbed the back of the boy's head soothingly. "It's okay. I'm right here. Come on--I think we're going to need some help. Too bad I didn't bring my headset . . ."

Naruto had never realized how nice it was to have someone to run to when he knew he was out of his league. It was far different from running to Iruka, because there had always been the thought that the chuunin had better things to do than cuddle him. Here and now, though, he was able to run to someone who _wanted_ him to do so for safety--no inconvenience would be perceived.

_I don't remember you being such a pansy._

_Are you stupid, Fox-bastard? They knew you were here even though nobody else does! Doesn't that **mean** something to you? That they know just what you're **capable** of, for example? Besides, I haven't started my training yet--my stamina practically doesn't exist and so I have no physical power or chakra to make use of! I'd be wiped out!_

_What about me? You've never had a problem taking my chakra before._

_Weren't you **listening**? If they know that you're here, they probably know what you can do! Using your chakra could be risky--I need to gather up my own chakra first!_

"Itachi! Sasuke! Could I have a word with you two in private?"

The Uchiha compound was fairly bustling with activity. Naruto could remember being in it before and being creeped out by how _dead_ it was. A place that big was not supposed to be that empty and it was nice to see it full, but saddening to know that back home it was still ghost-like and silent. He would have to find an acceptable way to keep Sasuke from staying there--it could not be healthy--because just thinking of it as an outsider was depressing.

They ended up in some kind of conference room that was full of cushions. A woman who looked very much like Sasuke, only with calmer hair, came in and placed a silver tray bearing tea and some kind of little cake squares on a low table.

The Fourth looked at the cakes, then at the woman hopefully. "Are those carrot cakes?"

She smiled. "Yes."

"Do you . . . have any more?" He turned wide blue eyes on her. "_Please_?"

She giggled. "Won't Aya get angry?"

"I won't show her, I promise! Oh _please_, Mikoto! _Pleeeeease_!"

Naruto watched his father stretch out across the floor on his stomach to hug the woman's left leg. _I think I get it now. The Fourth Hokage is a five-year-old in a man's body. Should I be embarrassed by this?_

_Probably,_ Kyuubi replied, _since he obviously isn't._

Mikoto finally laughed outright and freed her leg. "Okay, okay! I'll go wrap one up for you! Goodness . . ."

"Thank you!" he called after her.

Naruto kept his face neutral. Indicating the brothers across the table, he said, "You just hit on their mom."

"I didn't _hit_ on her--I just begged shamelessly."

"You hit on her," Naruto clarified. "Geez, Dad . . ."

"I did _not_---Mikoto!" he called. "Was I hitting on you?!"

She poked her head around the corner. "In comparison to what?"

"Anything! Everything!"

". . . No."

"_See_?" was the vindicated demand. "Why would I hit on someone who was practically my sister anyway? It'd be like you hitting on Shinju."

"You were _hitting on her_, I _saw it_ and I'm going to _tell Mom_!"

"She was my _teammate_ when we were _genin_ so we're _best friends_, but if you're going to be _picky_ then I'll go ahead and tell your_ mother_ about your _tattoos_ and we'll see what _she_ thinks. Do you recall me talking about _belting you_ for your _birthday_? I can imagine that it won't sound so bad after _she's_ through with you."

"I _told_ you, they're _not_ tattoos and there's nothing that I can _do_ about them that I haven't done _already_!"

"That's _not_ going to be _my_ problem if your _mother_ finds out."

It was bad enough that the Fourth knew about his 'whiskers'. ". . . Truce."

"Truce." They shook on it and his father turned to Itachi and Sasuke as if the past five minutes had not happened. "I need you two to spread the word. I'm looking for a couple of men in cloaks who keep their hoods up. They were in your district and apparently following Naruto." He looked over. "Did they say anything to you?"

He decided it would not hurt and nodded. "One called me Tenko-sama."

The Fourth looked startled, then concerned. "Tenko-sa . . ." He faced Itachi and Sasuke again. "There was at least one---"

"Three," Naruto corrected. "There were three."

"All right, there were at least three. There's no telling how aggressive they are."

The brothers nodded. "We'll do everything we can, Hokage-sama," Itachi promised.

"And like I said, tell the others just in case. Anything that you see or hear, I want to know about it. Try not to confront them unless they're doing harm--I don't want anyone walking into this blind and getting hurt."

"We understand completely. Thank you for bringing this to our attention, Hokage-sama. We'll inform the others immediately, if you'll excuse us."

Itachi and Sasuke left, but the Fourth insisted on finishing off the carrot cakes. Naruto had to admit that they were very good, not that he was much of a connoisseur of cake.

Mikoto showed up with a fresh cake and placed it on the table. "There. Just made."

The Fourth looked up at her, making his eyes almost exaggeratedly watery, and got up to hug her. "Gimme a kiss, Mikoto."

She held her arms out to stop him. "No."

He leaned in toward her. "Oh, come on! Just one!"

She was trying desperately not to smile. "_No_."

He was grinning. "But Mikoto . . .!"

She leaned away. "Isn't 'thank you' good enough for you?! It is for me!"

He feigned being put-out. "Thank yous are so _cheap_, though . . ."

She snorted. "I'll remember that the next time you owe me. I wonder if the village has ever seen its Hokage streak down the main street . . ."

His grin widened. "You know I'd do it."

"_Without_ a paper bag."

"Even better."

She made a disgusted noise. "Men . . ."

He managed to pull her close against him, but she only leaned farther away. "Hey, I don't have anything to be ashamed of. But if you don't want me to kiss you, then maybe I should lick you instead?"

"If you value your jewels you won't!"

"Oh, that's low, Mikoto. I don't threaten your girls."

"That's because they're far harder to remove and it makes men sound that much more like the Neanderthals they are. Now let me go."

He sighed louder than necessary and obeyed. She sidled away from him and straightened her clothes, but was not paying enough attention to dive out of the way when he made another grab for her. She shrieked in fury and tried desperately to punch him, but he planted a very wet and very juvenile kiss on her cheek anyway.

She let out an infuriated howl. "_Arashi_! Just because _you_ aren't _married_---"

"What? You mean I can't even kiss you on the cheek anymore? It's a social courtesy!"

"_That_ was _not_ a social courtesy! It was nothing more than a four-year-old boy passing his outrageous behavior cooties to somebody else! I pray Nyoko doesn't turn out like you!"

"Is there something _wrong_ with me?"

She glared up at him, then sighed heavily and pushed him away by his chin. "No, and I suppose that's the entire problem. You're just too enthusiastic." She hesitated, then looked down at Naruto. "Naruto-sama, kicking guests out isn't something I enjoy doing, but I'd like to speak to the Hokage privately."

Naruto nodded and got up to leave.

"Don't go far," the Fourth advised. "Stay in the compound."

"Okay." He ended up sitting outside the door, because when he thought about it the only thing he would see in the compound that he had not seen before was that it was full of people. As he had already decided, it was much too depressing a sight to enjoy. Sitting by the door, however, allowed him to inadvertently listen in on the conversation--not that he could not keep a secret when he wanted to.

". . . I'm scared, Arashi. The doctor said I might . . . lose this one."

"You were supposed to lose the other two, too, and look what happened to them."

"Arashi, I'm _serious_! The scarring's a lot heavier than I was told!"

"I'm serious too, Mikoto. Listen, _you_ have the advantage now. You know what could go wrong and you've been super careful the last two times, so I can't really see you being any less so a third time. Maybe you'll just have to watch yourself a little more. No lifting any more than your weight and any weight you gain later--you have three perfectly healthy men living in this house with you so ask them to help for once. If they're not here then you can ask someone outside. It'll only take a minute and I seriously doubt your own family would be too busy to spare a moment. And just stay in bed if you really have to, no matter how boring it is. Hire one of your nieces or someone to take some of the workload. There are myriad things you haven't done before that you could do now."

"But . . . I still might lose it and Arashi . . . whether this is successful or not, I won't be able to try again. Either it or I or both of us could die."

There was an air of annoyance. "Well if you're _that_ scared then you might as well stop here and not fret about it so much."

"_Arashi_!"

"What? It's not as if you're taking stock of all of your options, Mikoto. You're focusing too much on what can go wrong. You've already identified what they are, so _do_ something about them. _Plan_. Sit down with your boys and explain this to all three of them--yes, I can tell that you haven't told Fugaku yet--and toss some ideas around."

"But the boys . . . they don't even know yet. Fugaku knows, but only so much."

"Mikoto, Sasuke is _thirteen years old_. He can handle the news, okay? I mean, Naruto's twelve and considering that I dropped that particular bomb on him at four a.m., I'd say he took it very well. Very maturely. He was shocked, of course, but considering the number of times _I've_ heard it in my life I still can't get over it so easily, so that's no fault of his. It's not like you'll be able to hide it forever anyway."

"But . . . But he's been the baby for so long . . ."

"I doubt he'd mind. Naruto was an only child for ten years and he got used to being a big brother quite quickly. So quickly, in fact, that he practically spoiled Nyoko rotten. Speaking of Nyoko, may I?"

". . . Is this just an excuse to touch me?"

"Please. You have a very nice body, in my male opinion, but if I ever wanted to touch a woman I'd go molest Hotaru. She gets pretty frisky when she's preggers."

"You are _such_ a pervert."

"'S what happens when your teacher and one of your students are perverts."

"No. It's because you're a man. All men are perverts, it's just a matter of degree."

The air shifted to amusement.

"And women aren't?"

"I didn't say that. We just hide it better."

"I'll remember that. Have you had an ultrasound? Been told the gender?"

"No. It's too early."

"How far along are you?"

"About two months."

"Really?! Hey, you and Hotaru should try to synchronize things, that way we'll be able to throw a huge double-birthday party every year!"

". . . Somehow, I doubt 'synchronizing' is that easy."

"Are you kidding? I thought women who lived in the same house menstruated at roughly the same time. Pregnancy shouldn't be too much harder."

"Are _you_ kidding? My mother and sisters and I _never_ menstruated at the same time, so I have my doubts about that particular theory and even if we _had_ I would _never_ live in your house _just_ so you could throw a single, massive birthday party every year."

"You're no fun," came the immature pout.

"Of course I'm not _fun_, I _act my age_."

"And what's wrong with living in my house? You'd never have to do anything--the girls do all the cleaning."

"That's the problem. I'd see _them_ doing it and then _I'd_ feel like doing it and _then_ I'd start wondering about this place and whether or not the boys had burned it down, because I know they would if they started one of their wrestling matches and got too enthusiastic about it--I just put out the drapes in the baths the other night because they started fighting."

". . . Maybe you really shouldn't have this last one."

"No, I have to because I need somebody else on my team to help get them under control and if I work things right, I could put them under her--I pray it's a her--little thumb before she's even four months old and she'd have them completely whipped before they knew it was happening."

"Gee, it's like you're tired of two teenage boys acting like they're only seven years old or somethi---Ooh."

"Yes?"

"Hm . . . Now I'm not much of a doctor, so don't necessarily take my words as gospel, and I don't want to burst your bubble if I happen to be wrong because I'm certainly not claiming to be incapable of error in a serious situation, but the chakra _does_ feel light. Feminine."

The air changed to carry muted excitement.

"Really? Are . . . Are you sure that's not mine?"

"Sure as I can be. I've done this . . . oh . . . probably eight or nine times and I think I've only been wrong twice. Of course, it helps if both parents are ninja--the sensation is naturally stronger--and if I recall one time neither parent was and the other time the father was practically from the other side of the world and his chakra flowed a bit differently. I pegged the rest, though, and Naruto and Nyoko were especially easy because I was so aware of both Hotaru and myself. I know you pretty well, I'm relatively familiar with Fugaku, and what I'm reading right now just feels like a much lighter version of Itachi and Sasuke. Even though it's so early, I feel confident enough to bet on it, if you'd like."

"No, I'll take your word for it. Thank you. That . . . makes things easier."

"My advice? Pick a name."

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

Of _course_ Naruto bites. I'd be shocked if he didn't.

---

So yes, I have made the Fourth and Sasuke's mom genin teammates. If anyone has seen the screenshot of the Fourth when he was a kid (_**SQUEE!!**_), immediately to his right is a girl with short black hair (the boy beyond her looks like he could be an Akimichi). I don't actually _know_ that this is Sasuke's mother, and I doubt that she is, but I'm _pretending_. Pretend with me, please--it'll be more fun that way.

---

If you are a rabid and devout Yondaime fan, you may now succumb to a nosebleed from the thought of him running naked down Konoha's main street. If you are _not_ a rabid and devout Yondaime fan, or are just completely turned off by the image, please close your eyes as he passes by. _(No_, there is never going to be a scene where the Fourth _actually_ streaks. I'm _far_ too big a prude to write that.)

---

You read right--the Fourth isn't actually married to Naruto's mother. I, personally, believe very strongly in marriage before children, but in this case there is what I consider to be an acceptable excuse: Hotaru's life is safer this way. If you believe that sex equals marriage, then yes, they're married (as proven concretely by the existence of almost three children), but there are no wedding rings and there was no ceremony, nor will there be in this work. Ever.

---

In case anyone got that idea, no, Arashi and Mikoto are not having an affair, nor will they. It's just that I've put them on the same team as genin, so they're close like siblings. And siblings do _weird_ stuff to each other, as anyone who has at least one of his or her own will know.

---

Since it's so vague and Naruto wasn't in the room to witness it, I'll clarify. The obvious part is that Sasuke's mom is pregnant like Naruto's (kind of like how my parents and I went out to eat last night and every child under two years of age who lived on the immediate North American continent went to the same restaurant that we did for supper--they were _everywhere_).

The less obvious part is that the Fourth is using his own chakra to detect Mikoto's baby's chakra. It was a concept first introduced to me briefly through ChibiRisu-chan's _Side Effects_ (KakaIru mpreg--it's well-written and funny, but also clearly involves homosexuality) and while I doubt chakra can be used in that particular way, it's still romantic and I'm a hopeless one, so I expanded on it slightly.

---

I am _so_ sorry that I had to cut that chapter off in such a terrible spot, but it couldn't really be helped--I need to keep a comfortable space alive. I realize some wish my chapter are longer or were less filler-y (though they're not as filler-like as one might think, as this fic centers around the characters and _not_ the action, even if the action is important), but I ask that it be considered that it takes _far_ less time to read something than it does for the author to write it in the first place.

I suppose I can make big chapters, but they'd _never_ be this regular again and I'm currently working on over a dozen (probably more like two dozen) fics in varying degrees of speed. _Door Number Two_ is _not_ complete and if another fic is nudging at my brain, I'm going to work on it instead of _Door Number Two_ so that my brain doesn't fill with ideas and clog up (then I'd have Writer's Block and _urgh_, that's a nightmare to get out of; forced writing is _bad_ writing). At that point I wouldn't be able to write _anything_.

Right now I have a nice series of buffer chapters between you all and the unfinished part of _Door Number Two_. I have every intention of completing it as soon as possible and moving on to the next one for you to enjoy. However, if I fling loose chapters that are too big too often, it could be anywhere from a month to six months to two years before I get any more of _Door Number Two_ out for public consumption (my younger sister can attest to the time I take to write parts of certain stories) and I do _not_ want to force you all to wait for that. I don't like waiting that long for updates and I'm sure you all don't (even if you didn't mind, you're such good reviewers that I don't want to do that to you), so please bear with me and my bad chapter endings so it doesn't happen that way.

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	12. Kayaku

**Author's Notes:** Chapter twelve! The Fourth has a not-really-a-secret, Shinju's day at school ends, and Naruto is able to ask questions of his father that he couldn't before.

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 2,856

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 2/7/07

**Disclaimer:** I wish.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Twelve - Kayaku

* * *

"A name?"

"A name. What I'm about to say can't leave this room because Hotaru's a very private person and if she hears I've told anyone this she'll relieve me of my innards."

"For being the village leader, you sure are a coward."

"No, I just have an extremely strong survival instinct. I'm well aware of the things that threaten my well-being."

". . . Right. Go on."

"Okay, now listen. Hotaru has a condition very similar to yours. Not as severe, but there is still the possibility for trouble if she doesn't relax."

"She's not a ninja."

"No. Her father, for some reason, was under the impression that she was visited at night by a suitor and so if he ever thought that she was pregnant he'd punch her right here as hard as he possibly could, over and over until he decided he'd killed anything she was carrying. And in case you're curious, I'd like to attest first-hand to how many suitors she _actually_ had before coming here, because there wasn't anything missing when I had my way with her."

"Is that bastard dead?"

"Better. He used to be a merchant but he . . . er . . . couldn't make a proper deal, so I got him swindled out of everything he had. That's what he gets for trying to sell his own daughter, I suppose. I sold all of the worthwhile stuff--made a nice little bit in the bank for Hotaru in case anything happens to me _and_ funded a couple of those stagnant projects that really needed the jump-start. Very handy."

"You should have killed him."

"No, I don't think so. I got him acquainted with poverty, which he was doing to Hotaru, so that he would know exactly what he was inflicting on those who lived with him. Killing him wouldn't have meant anything to him, but not having money . . . He might've committed suicide by now, not that I really know or care either way unless Hotaru starts to, which I sincerely doubt. Hm . . . I wonder if he knows he's a grandfather . . .?"

"Think about it later. On with the story."

"Of course. So Hotaru was in pretty bad shape when I got her. Her face looked all right, but she was covered with bruises both externally _and_ internally. Those took about six months for her to heal from enough that she felt like actually _doing_ anything--even just taking walks caused her pain in the past. Probably . . . Yeah, I guess . . . Yes, it was about six months more before we found out she was pregnant. She starting having nightmares and---Oh, _damn it_, I forgot about those! Anyway, she started having nightmares and rolling around rather violently; the doctor told her that if she didn't start taking it easy it was possible she could lose the baby. Even with the bruises healed, there had been permanent damage.

"She was absolutely mortified by the thought, of course, but my mother suggested that we name the baby. It would potentially hurt more if the baby died--and Mom _did_ lose my little brother despite naming him--but naming it would make the baby that much more interactive than it really was. More _alive_. So we named it and if nothing else, it calmed Hotaru considerably. And, well, now that particular baby's twelve years old and in very good health."

". . . Naming sounds like a good idea. I'll talk to Fugaku."

"A girl's name, a boy's name, or one that would fit either gender. Even just a pet name. Something that will make the baby another member of the family."

"Thank you, Arashi."

"Mikoto, you are the closest thing to a sister I'll ever have. It's my job to keep you safe and happy so that I can continue to mooch cake from you."

There was a snort of laughter. "It's nice to know you have your priorities straight."

"As if they would ever be skewed. I have to go now, but you know how to get a hold of me if you need anything."

"Yes . . . Arashi?"

"Hm?"

"You . . . You never mentioned having a little brother before."

"What was the point of it?"

"I just think you would've made a great big brother, that's all."

"Flattering as that is, you have no idea what you're saying because I _know_ you wouldn't be saying so if Kayaku had survived."

"Oh?"

"He was two minutes younger than me. Can you imagine the pranks he and I could have pulled because we would have looked _exactly alike_?"

"You're right. You're bad enough by yourself. But . . . I think it would have been worth it if there had been two of you. Can you imagine twin Hokage?"

"Not _two_. _One_ Hokage with two _personalities_, maybe." There was a pause. "Then again, maybe twin Hokage wouldn't be such a bad idea. I can tell you, there are days when I wish I had someone who could help me with all the paperwork."

"What . . . What happened to him?"

"He suffocated. His umbilical cord choked him to death before he was even born. It was a freak thing, really, but Mom was inconsolable for a long while. It probably hurt her to look at me sometimes."

"Don't say that, Arashi."

"I'm not saying I _blame_ her or anything, but there were points where she couldn't look at me for more than a few seconds at a time and that's probably the reason. I'm kind of glad she's dead--can't take the whole damn world on her shoulders anymore."

"Like _your_ shoulders are any better?"

"Yes, because I have support, which Mom never wanted, and that support automatically makes me stronger. If I were alone, whether or not I thought I could handle it I have no doubt I'd eventually give out just like she did. That's what killed her, Mikoto, not old age. She worried so much about the rest of the world and not enough about herself. That would be just fine normally, but without support to take care of her _for_ her, she exhausted herself to death. You're trying to do the same thing with this baby and if you don't start involving the boys then it won't just be a matter of _if_ you'll die. Itachi and Sasuke may be adults by ninja standards, but right now they still need you, even if they don't admit it to your face. Do you understand?"

There was a very long silence.

". . . Yes, I understand."

"Good. Now you _take care of yourself_ or . . . or I'll tell Aya. She'd come down here in a heartbeat, I know she would. And I'll find Sensei, too, and sic him on you."

"If you send that pervert here I'll _eat your brains_, Arashi!"

"_Bye_, Mikoto!" the Fourth chirped, hopping out the door and whisking Naruto from the porch before the smaller blond could even stand up.

Naruto hung on to his father, koala-like, because there was no way that he could possibly have matched the speed they were currently travelling.

"Running like this is fun," the Fourth noted randomly.

"I can't even tell where we are."

"We're heading west, toward the gate. It's easier when one isn't upside-down."

"I imagine so."

"How're you doing down there, by the way? No motion sickness, I hope?"

"I'm fine." This was nothing like trying to ride Gamabunta, which was probably the first and only time Naruto had ever even _started_ to get motion sick. This was much smoother and, though he was doing the work, more comfortable.

Awkward, but comfortable.

"You wanna _get_ motion sick?"

"_No_. Shinju'll be getting out of school soon, won't she?"

"Damn it, I forgot all about her in all this excitement." He landed on a nearby roof and made an instant ninety-degree turn.

"You don't have to go."

"No, but it'll make it easier for you to get her to go tomorrow."

They arrived just as the kids were packing up to leave and joined a group of parents who were already waiting. The door opened and the first-time students spilled out happily. Shinju, of course, was taller than any of them.

"Won't be hard to find her, will it?"

Naruto snorted as he slid to the ground.

When Shinju joined them, the Fourth put an arm around her shoulders and asked knowingly, "So, how was it?"

"It was scary at first," she admitted. "_Really_ scary. But even the tough children were a lot more scared than I was and . . . it wasn't so bad after a while."

"So did you have fun?"

"Oh yes! Takakura-sensei is very kind and we spent the whole day getting to know one another and the class pets. Everyone got one to take care of except me, but that's because there were more kids than usual in class and I volunteered not to have one so that the girl beside me could. Takakura-sensei said she could get me a kitten if I wanted and I could bring it in every day, but I wouldn't be able to leave it there because there isn't any room."

"Do you _want_ a cat?"

"I don't know."

"Cats are about as low maintenance as you can possibly get, especially if you manage to toilet-train them. _Any_ pet is a pretty big responsibility, but I don't think that it's anything you couldn't handle."

"I think I might like one . . . If _you_ don't mind, Naruto-sama."

Naruto shrugged. "A cat sounds okay to me as long as you clean up after it. I heard they throw up a lot."

"There _is_ the potential for that," the Fourth mused. "Some cats throw up all the time, but some only throw up hairballs and some only throw up food. My aunt had cat that threw up food _all_ the time and though it would cough and hack, it never _ever_ threw up a hairball. My uncle's cat never threw up unless it ate raw meat. It's really just whatever you get and count your blessings that it's not worse."

"Maybe a cat's not such a good idea," Shinju decided.

"No no, let's not go there. Cats are stuck-up, but they do want to _be_ with you--you're just not supposed to touch them without an invitation. Having a pet lowers your blood pressure, too, which'll be good for you since you fret so much. Also, most cats are very good hunters. If your apartment building ever happens to get infested with mice or small rats, there won't ever be any in _your_ apartment. Not for long, anyway. The cat'll bring them to you dead or in pieces and it's gross, but you'll get used to it and it won't be so bad after a while."

_Tell her to get a cat,_ Kyuubi advised eagerly.

"Get a cat," Naruto said obediently, equally keen on the idea. He could remember times when his old apartment got infested and the mice would chew and chew all night. Apparently, the sounds bothered Kyuubi's sharp hearing immensely, because there were some mornings where Naruto would wake up to find part of his apartment ripped up, usually looking as though it had been dug through frantically, and grey fur in his teeth. In cases with the fur--or other unpleasant mouse parts--he would spend the next hour at the porcelain shrine.

So no, he was not averse to getting a cat as a pet, even if it did hate him.

"Okay. I'll tell Takakura-sensei. She said she could get me one to take home right away."

The Fourth nodded. "You and Naruto should go get supplies then."

"Might we do it later? I'm rather tired."

"Sure. You can do it tonight or tomorrow."

Shinju pranced happily into the apartment. "I'd like to make supper tonight, but I'd also like to rest for a bit."

"Go ahead," Naruto told her. "I was going to look around the village anyway."

"Will you be staying, Hokage-sama?"

"I can't. I wasn't actually supposed to take the whole day off like I have, so I need to get back to the office and get at least _some_ work done. _But_ . . ." He hugged her and kissed her cheek. "I want to tell you how _proud_ I am that you got through this. The first step is always the hardest and it can only get easier from here, Shinju."

She smiled shyly. "Thank you."

They left her to nap, but before Naruto could take off, his father grabbed him by the collar and headed in the exact opposite direction. "What, you thought I'd actually let you go _looking_ for those people?"

"_Dad_. It's not like I'm going to try to pick a fight with them. I'm not MP but I'm a ninja; I have a job to do as a protector of this village."

"_You_ are a _target_. _Always_. Remember who you are--people who've never even _seen_ you want you to die because they know it'll hurt me."

Seven minutes later, opening a can of soda he had been given, Naruto asked, "Are you sure you want me in here?"

"Sarutobi-sensei and Jiraiya-sensei had this place and the house swept multiple times with every known tool and jutsu imaginable and neither of them found anything. I don't know why you act so strange sometimes, even considering your memory loss, but I'm convinced that you're not a spy." He sighed heavily and admitted, "I'm _supposed_ to have you under watch, but as I told you I'm too understaffed for that right now."

The Fourth sat down to work and Naruto looked around the office thoughtfully. He had never taken the time to compare this office with the one back home and he was slightly surprised that the only major difference was the man currently sitting in the chair at the desk. His eyes fell on his father's portrait on the wall, lined up with his predecessors and looking exactly as he did where Naruto was from, and not for the first time did the younger blond examine the picture with a critical eye.

Now, though, he could ask the question that had bugged him for so many years.

"Why do you look like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like somebody told you the lamest, most off-color joke ever."

"I was supposed to look serious and noble and that sort of thing, but it was really hard with your mother waving you around behind the photographer."

Naruto tilted his head. "Kind of looks like you wanted to kill the guy."

"I ended up turning to an old failsafe and just put on my mission face, which isn't exactly the friendliest one I could present."

"What's wrong with smiling like normal people?"

"Wise people don't smile."

"You do."

"I never claimed to be wise."

"But you are."

"There are those who would heartily disagree."

"They're wrong. Wisdom is born of experience. One has to live for the moment and take risks to gain wisdom. Without risk, nothing is learned and thus no wisdom is gained. You don't have to _act_ wise to _be_ wise."

"You sound like Jiraiya-sensei."

For being an incorrigible pervert, the old man certainly knew his ninja stuff, that was for certain. "You look like a vampire with that collar the way it is."

"That's probably something done on purpose."

"The others don't really look that way--not _too_ much, anyway--unless you're telling me that _you_ did it on purpose."

"Why didn't you tell me all of this when I got the picture taken the first time?"

"I think because at the time my vocabulary only consisted of 'Waaah!' and 'Uh?'" The carbonation in the soda inspired him to burp; thankfully, Iruka had been able to teach him _some_ semblance of manners. "'Scuse me."

"Speaking of that, did I ever teach you to belch the alphabet?"

"I don't know, but I'm pretty sure I can."

"Good. You never know when it'll come in handy."

"Beg your pardon? It's a _bar trick_."

"Yeah, but in a training assignment once I was able to successfully give commands over a tapped radio frequency by doing it. The codebreakers went absolutely _mad_ trying to figure out what I was saying and that's why, Naruto, you must never assume that something will always be complicated. If they had just _listened_ instead of guessing that I would be elaborate, they would have been able to identify it right away."

"How did your team know?"

"The good thing about being unpredictable is that everyone who's even _slightly_ familiar with you will expect something outrageous. My team figured out what I was doing pretty quickly and was able to respond. I had to explain what I'd done to the codebreakers after the training was over and I think they thought I was joking at first, but . . ." He shrugged.

The door opened and Hotaru stepped in. "_Here_ you are! _Finally_! Did you just get in? I've been looking for you all day!"

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

I realize that it doesn't make sense, or is at least unimaginative, for Hotaru and Mikoto to both be pregnant and then have similar complications with their pregnancies. However, I assure you that it's not a mistake or laziness on my part. All will become clear in time (a _long_ time from now, I fear).

---

To reiterate, Hotaru does _not_ get along with her father, who was/is a merchant. At _all_. He was _extremely_ abusive toward her and was always trying to pawn her off to get a deal. Obviously, Arashi was the last person he ever attempted to hand Hotaru off to. They have _no_ contact with him whatsoever, both because they don't want to be around him and because he's more or less vanished from the face of the planet, so he probably doesn't even know that Naruto and Nyoko exist.

---

So yes, Arashi had a twin brother named Kayaku who died at birth, which in scientific terms means he's what's known as a 'twinless twin'. _Fear_ my ability to overcomplicate things! Or rather, to take something so simple and make it your worst nightmare before you even realize I've done it.

---

And now you've learned a little about the Fourth's mother! Isn't that nice?

---

Naruto-koala is a cute image. Let me enjoy it.

---

The Fourth's description of his aunt's cat's gastric upsets is actually a description of my queen (use what you know, right?), which is unfortunate, but I love her anyway. Most cats _are_ good hunters--both of my toms are quite adept, having slain rabbits and snakes in their spare time, and my queen . . . enjoys _pretending_ that she's a great hunter. Watching her chase grasshoppers across the lawn is hysterical.

---

Wouldn't _that_ be unpleasant, to look in the mirror one morning and find a mouse leg stuck in your molars? Yuck.

---

Well, now Naruto's cleared of his spy status as far as the Fourth is concerned. It probably won't take him long to drum up some kind of fresh suspicion, knowing him.

---

I _swear_ that the Fourth's official Hokage portrait makes him look like a vampire. It's probably because he's _not_ being friendly and his eyes seem unusually narrowed.

---

If you can belch the alphabet, you didn't spend enough time doing something useful for society.

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	13. Clerics

**Author's Notes:** Chapter thirteen! The Fourth finds out Naruto has considerable skill in foiling tracking efforts and the cloaked people make their second appearance.

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 3,044

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 2/10/07

**Disclaimer:** Ahaha . . . No.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Thirteen - Clerics

* * *

The Fourth frowned in concern. "Yes, Naruto and I were out in the village all morning. Is anything wrong?"

"Well, I wanted to do a little shopping and I didn't want you to worry if I wasn't there when you got home."

"Oh, all right. Er . . ."

Naruto watched him shuffle papers around before picking up a buried duty roster and grimacing at whatever was on it. "I can take her, Dad."

"Huh?"

"I'll go with her. She can come see the apartment and have supper with Shinju and me. Shinju has to do her own shopping anyway, so all three of us can go."

His father's look was hesitant, obviously thinking about the three in the cloaks. "All right then, I suppose. But don't stay out too late."

Which in reality translated to, 'Don't get caught alone.' "We won't. Shinju'll still be tired, I'm sure, and she'll need to sleepfor tomorrow."

"Just be caref---"

An ANBU suddenly landed on the window sill, perched not unlike a frog.

"Yes?" the Fourth inquired.

One of the funny things about ANBU was that they were trained to be verbally silent in every situation and communicate only through body language when in their uniform. Sometimes they spoke, generally to be intimidating, but not often; it was usually something that could not be conveyed by body language alone. This meant that occasionally, one who was in an adjoining room might perhaps hear someone else become involved in a 'one-sided' conversation when in truth there was an ANBU contributing to the discussion.

True to form, the ANBU's only answer was to turn a bit to look at the door. The Fourth's gaze followed, as did Naruto's, and Hotaru did the same after a moment. The door was opened by a secretary, who looked rather bemused but still held the door so that it would not fall shut on the little girl who toddled into the room or the ANBU who followed her along a parallel path on the ceiling.

"_Whee_!" came the high-pitched cheer.

The Fourth's hands came down on the large desk with all possible force as he got to his feet, scattering papers everywhere. "_NYOKO_!" he thundered furiously.

Naruto was so startled by the behavior--until that moment he had never seen his father in a state beyond anxiety--that his soda slipped from his hand and was, fortunately, deftly caught by the ANBU in the window, who was apparently used to that tone of voice. ". . . Thanks."

"What are you shouting about?!" Hotaru demanded, picking Nyoko up.

"Don't _cuddle_ her! _Look_ at her! She _knows_ she's not supposed to leave the house without someone to watch her!"

"Isn't that what _they're_ for?!"

"They're _guards_, not _babysitters_! You have no idea how difficult it is to fight someone when something as unpredictable as a _baby_ is nearby!"

"_Fight_?! Fight _who_?!"

"_Anyone_! Maybe you've _forgotten_, Hotaru, but Naruto was _attacked_ a month ago by a _ninja_ and just this morning he was cornered by people in hoods! The worst part is that he's old enough to fight back or run and they're _still_ catching him! Nyoko would never stand a chance against _one_ of them!"

Naruto felt fear and anger rise in him. "Stop . . ." he murmured.

_What the hell are **you** crying for, you little infantile punk?_ he heard Kyuubi ask distantly and somehow knew that he was not the one being addressed. _Parents will whine at one another sometimes--so what?_ Naruto could not hear the reply, but Kyuubi snorted at it. _Oh please. This 'marriage' that you view so highly is nothing more than mating for life in your shy, modest little human way. Lifemates bitch and moan occasionally, but if their relationship has the meaning that it should then an argument over their kits will eventually come to a compromise. Your fear is completely unwarranted._

This did not reassure Naruto or the other self he was unable to contact but who was surely influencing his emotions in this situation. He raised his voice slightly. "Stop." He raised it again when no one but the ANBU paid him any attention. "_Stop_." Finally, the emotions spiked and he yelled. "_STOP IT_!"

With both his parents watching him with startled eyes, he turned on his mother. "Why do you think anyone trying to kill the Hokage or his family would send only one person at a time?! They would send _at least_ a five-man team! Probably more! These guards buy time for a unit to be mobilized! That's it! They wouldn't have the time to make sure that Nyoko wasn't skewered in the back of the head by a kunai! You coddling her only encourages her to leave the house and put herself in danger! She's been lucky so far, but I don't want to know if it'll run out the next time! If _you_ want to bury her that badly then _fine_, but don't drag me into it, too!"

He lunged out the window, twisting sharply to avoid the reach of the ANBU still there, and upon touching the ground used a small burst of chakra to speed him into the trees. It was not exactly a smart move with the cloaked people surely still around, but the forest had always accepted him, always comforted him, and so he always turned to it when he needed the quiet. The ANBU would follow him, though--he would have to ditch them first.

Arashi blinked as both of the ANBU darted out the window. Naruto had confessed once to not liking it whenever he and Hotaru argued, but had never reacted like that before. He looked at Hotaru, who stared back in bewilderment. She played with Nyoko's hair hesitantly, then asked meekly, "We weren't arguing _that_ terribly, were we?"

"Not any more than we did the other night."

Of course, Naruto had never witnessed their worst arguments because they always saved those for the bedroom or some other indoor location the kids did not have ready access to. It was the price he paid--and one that he paid quite willingly--for sleeping with a woman who in most circumstances had a very quick mind.

'Stubborn' would follow 'quick', unfortunately.

". . . Perhaps you should explain to me what's going on around here?"

He did not like to and she knew it, but the situation was a tad bit urgent. Naruto aside, she could not make a good decision about Nyoko's safety without knowing what was going on. Nyoko would also be a lot easier to deal with if she knew that her family was united on the subject. "I suppose so." He sat down and patted his thigh. "Come here--sit."

He showed her the heavily-marked duty roster and explained what it meant to the village and what had happened that morning.

"So . . . things aren't in good shape."

"Not as far as defenses go. I could pull the ANBU away from the short-term assignments to set up patrols, but then that would leave the assignments uncompleted, which would lead to a loss of revenue. That and our enemies would correctly conclude that we were low on manpower, which would mean that we're weak."

"Are any of the long-term assignments going to be done soon?"

"The earliest will be finished next week and the rest of them will trickle in afterward. Things should be okay after that; we do sometimes get stretches where it seems like everyone is out on a long-term assignment and those of us still here can get pretty tense until others return. I'll also finally be able to put some people out to find the ones responsible for these incidences with Naruto."

"You don't have any idea who they are?"

"I'm pretty sure it was someone from Rain who attacked him a month ago, because the scent he described matches them and the one who tried to kill Nyoko. But these people in the cloaks . . . I have no idea. He said they called him Tenko-sama, but . . ."

Hotaru looked at him sharply. "Could they have seen him with . . .?"

"They might have, but if that's the case then they've been watching him for longer than a month because he hasn't been near there since he was attacked." He frowned. "Something about them, Hotaru . . . they gave me the crawlies."

One of the ANBU who had gone after Naruto reappeared in the window. "Hokage-sama, we lost track of your son."

Arashi's disbelief was understandable. "You _lost track_ of him? He's _twelve years old_! He _barely_ graduated from the academy and you _lost track of him_?!"

The ANBU's head bowed in mute apology.

"Never mind. Keep looking. Have either of you checked the village?"

"No sir."

"I'll do it, just in case. He went into the forest, right? Well he's dressed in orange--it shouldn't be that hard to find him unless he circled around."

"Arashi," Hotaru said urgently, "it's getting dark."

"I know, don't worry." He looked at the ANBU. "Search every inch of the trees--ground and branches. Look for his chakra. I want him found before something _else_ happens to him. Go." The ANBU vanished obediently. "Hotaru, you and Nyoko stay here with the secretaries. When I find Naruto I'll come back and take you home, okay?"

"All right. Be careful."

He nodded and leaped out the window. The first logical place to go would be to check in with Shinju and see if Naruto was there. It was unlikely, but not impossible.

* * *

He had not _asked_ them to come with him--they just _had_. He had dropped by their den to say hi and they had gone with him when he left. Not that he minded the company, but because of his new walking buddies he was sticking closer to the outskirts of Konoha rather than the inside, which he would have preferred. Then again, it was not unlike being with people he _wanted_ to talk to and having guard dogs all at the same time.

They were better than Kakashi's nin-dogs, for sure.

"You guys remind me of Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon. Of course, you're way cuter than them and listen to me when I tell you to do something, which makes you much easier to deal with and makes me not regret letting you follow me around. This is dangerous, by the way--if you three get caught out here the villagers could get upset and decide to go fox-hunting. And I couldn't do a thing to help you, either, because if I did I'd be a co-conspirator and Dad would be in really deep shit for it."

_"We're good at not being seen,"_ Byako assured him, bounding ahead while a pair of fox lanterns kept pace and slowly orbited the white nogitsune.

_"We've had to do it for a long time,"_ Shakko agreed.

_"We'll be okay,"_ Genko promised. _"We've done this before, just not with you. If we're spotted, you should run. You needn't fear for us, Tenko-sama. We can get away from anyone we choose, ninja included."_

"Telling me not to worry doesn't help, you know."

"Tenko-sama," a new voice said suddenly from behind them.

Naruto felt ice trickle down his spine and stiffen warningly.

* * *

Shinju had been extremely annoyed that Naruto was allowing his supper to get cold, but by her alarm when he began to explain things, she had not seen him.

That was why Arashi was back in the trees without even really looking over the rest of the village. Shinju had not seen Naruto and neither Itachi nor Sasuke had caught sight of him on their final rounds of the district. If Naruto was not there then he was in the forest somewhere, which did not make things any easier, particularly because it was night. To have the best chance, he would have to go in by the office, as Naruto had.

He had good luck, though, because he found prints almost right away and they were much too small to be the size of even a small adult's foot. He followed them back to a dense thicket, in which he found one footprint, the toes of another, and a patch of disturbed dirt that indicated that Naruto had been kneeling. Despite the speed he had used to leave, he had apparently hidden right there, just inside the border of the trees, and waited until the ANBU had passed by before going on. It was a clever move, and not one he would have associated with a ninja who should have been less than D-class.

The tracks, which had occasionally doubled back or been separated by long leaps, led him to the den under the tree where Naruto had been the last time he had run off. The younger blond had shuffled around there for a time, then left. If the paw prints he could see meant anything, the nogitsune had tagged along. Naruto had seemed to be very good friends with the little wild foxes, which was reassuring.

"At least he's not alone," he murmured to himself.

"They will not be able to protect him from the clerics."

He got to his feet in a rush and turned, belatedly recognizing the voice. "Clerics?"

* * *

The three nogitsune hissed and there were suddenly twelve fox lanterns instead of two.

_"How did we not hear them?!"_

_"Sorcerers! Monks!"_

_"Run, Tenko-sama!"_

"Tenko-sama," one of the fully-cloaked figures said again. There were more than three, this time--something along the lines of ten. "It is an honor to meet you, Fox Lord."

_Fox Lord,_ Kyuubi mused. _Yes, what an ego-stroker that is . . ._

Byako, Shakko, and Genko had all fluffed their fur in their fury; their hackles especially stood straight along their backs. Being the size of cats, though, it was a bit more comical than it was ferocious, but they were certainly trying. They were abruptly obscured in flashes of demonic red chakra and when it cleared Naruto was surrounded by three wolf-sized nogitsune.

The cloaked strangers did not seem the least bit intimidated.

_"Damn clerics!"_ Shakko spat. _"There is no getting away from them!"_

"Clerics?" Naruto echoed. "Of what?"

_"It doesn't matter! Tenko-sama, you must flee!"_

Naruto crouched a bit. "All of us, in different directions. Meet back at the den. _Now_!"

Shakko and Genko lunged to either side, one down into the village and the other into the training field beside them, while Byako leaped over the cloaked figures into the trees. All three vanished into the shadows--even Byako's white coat was quickly lost in the darkness.

Naruto skidded back several feet from where he had been and grinned. "I don't know who you people are, but you're all crazy."

"We need your assistance, Tenko-sama."

"What assistance? I have better things to do than kiss up to you bastards!"

"It would be better if you came with us voluntarily, Tenko-sama."

_All right, I was just completely turned off,_ Kyuubi said. _I've already been enslaved once and I'm not exactly eager to have it happen again._

_

* * *

_

"Yes, clerics. Their faith is not one that I have scented before, but it is indeed a faith of some kind."

He saw the trembling forms at the other's feet and approached slowly. "I haven't heard of any new ones spreading. Maybe Hotaru has . . ."

"It is a secret sect, I am sure. They dress in plain, deeply-hooded cloaks and their scent is furtive. It is very hard for one not paying attention to catch it."

He knelt in front of a five-tailed nogitsune and rubbed the sides of its neck soothingly. Its eyes were glazed and it continued to shake, unaware that he was even there. He could see others--a three-tail and six-tail--in the same condition. "What happened?"

"These three have come to me over the past week. Their realms crumbled around them and they were forced to flee. All of them, as they lapse in and out of coherence, have reported the same scent I just described to you."

The fox that he was petting had finally come around and was leaning hesitantly into his caresses, its yellow eyes glittering with distrust. "What does it smell like?"

"Foreign places. Beyond the five major countries. Flowers I have never scented before. Whoever they are, they do not belong here."

"Naruto said they called him Tenko-sama. I think they're looking for you."

"Not me," came the correction. "I have already encountered them, but their attempt to capture me was . . . what is your term? 'Half-assed'? They might want me, but they are not being very diligent about it. Their aim and energy are elsewhere."

"If they aren't here for you, then who for?"

"I do not know. Some have mentioned scenting me--or at least another tenko--on days in places where I was not. However, I have not looked into this because the presence of another tenko does not concern me as long as my authority over this area is not challenged. Some have mentioned scenting a kiko, but this does not concern me either, although there is potential for an incident. I can look into it if you would like."

"Don't worry about it unless something happens. I want you to stay out of sight of those clerics as much as possible."

"What of the injured?"

"Unless it's a physical injury, there's little I can do. The villagers are too superstitious to let kitsune take shelter around them. Not that it's safe in Konoha anyway--the clerics first found Naruto there. I can direct you to a place where they should be safe for the time being, but I worry that the clerics will find them if they stay there too long."

"I know the land--I will find them a place to stay. May I send the injured to you?"

"Yes, but unless it's an emergency try to keep the visits during the night. And watch out for the clerics, because they might set traps around the house."

The attention of the five there was drawn toward the village at a burst of demonic chakra.

". . . That was the triplets."

"You mean the three who live here?!" He turned worriedly. "Naruto . . ."

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

Oh, yes, the Fourth can get angry--even with his children. _Especially_ with his children, when they threaten their own safety.

---

Supposedly, you shouldn't argue in the bedroom and you're never to go to bed while angry with your spouse/significant other. However, when you have kids, the only place to argue and not be overheard _is_ the bedroom.

---

Like the not-married thing, the Fourth doesn't tell Hotaru about village goings-on for her safety. It won't _completely_ protect her, but since she's not a ninja, she doesn't really need to be aware of shinobi schedules, either.

---

I like Kakashi's nin-dogs, but you have to admit that in comparison to a kitsune's capability, nin-dogs are a bit limited.

---

Fox lanterns are little balls of flame that kitsune can create to use as weapons, as toys, or simply to light a path. They're a sub-category of 'foxfire'.

---

Kitsune are masters of illusion. Depending on the space they have access to, they can create either an estate beneath a loose floorboard or a city in a small meadow. Kitsune can work together to contribute to this illusion and make it more intricate.

However, whatever a kitsune creates becomes that kitsune's reality. These realms are, when faced with a person of a faith (who can see through these illusions), easily destroyed. All the person must do is touch the illusion and it will shatter. This does a great deal of psychological harm to a kitsune, whose reality has literally crashed down around it.

---

A kiko is a spirit fox. Like koryo (haunting fox) and reiko (ghost fox), a kiko is not an _evil_ fox, but it is most definitely a _bad_ fox. Overall, kiko and koryo seem to fall under the 'reiko' category and can also be referred to as ghost foxes or demon foxes themselves. These are 'Void' or 'Dark' kitsune, and are the opposite of 'Celestial' or 'Prime' kitsune (who are usually servants of Inari). A 'youko' is also a spirit fox, but that seems to be an uncommon term.

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	14. Rescue

**Author's Notes:** Chapter fourteen! The battle comes to an end, everyone goes home, and Naruto begins to return to the everyday life he's familiar with. Short, but more'll be coming Saturday.

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 2,100

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 2/14/07 (Happy Valentine's Day! Pretend I'm giving you chocolate and flowers with this chapter!)

**Disclaimer:** Hey, I don't even own the car I drive.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Fourteen - Rescue

* * *

Naruto jumped out of the path of something invisible that skimmed along the ground. A glimmering ruby collar tried to catch him off guard, but he ducked beneath it before Kyuubi even warned him to avoid it. It simply made sense that if they wanted Kyuubi's power they would use a collar to bind Naruto and, by extension, Kyuubi.

_We're in deep shit, boy._

_No fuck!_ Naruto snarled. _Why don't you tell me something **useful** for a change?_

_Run._

_How? I don't have the stamina to put distance between us and them!_

_Obviously, as you predicted earlier, they are indeed ready to deal with my chakra. There is the definite possibility that if you used it on them they could bind us with that. If you don't find a way to get away from them, we'll be captured._

Naruto was all set to dive down the hill into the village and hope he could find a place to hide to ditch the clerics, but as he moved to do so several things happened. The clerics went to grab him, someone above him shouted--all he heard of it was 'Suiton'--and then he was grabbed and lifted from the ground as a massive hand of water broke through the earth and fisted around the clerics, then froze. He started to struggle frantically--someone may have helped him, but there was no telling if that someone was the same person holding him now. Even if it was, there was no guarantee that the person was an ally.

"Easy, Naruto."

He twisted around to see an ANBU wearing a dog mask. "Kakashi-sensei!"

"Shh! What are you doing out at night?"

"I was . . . taking a walk," he replied, surprised at how quickly he was relaxing. "Mom and Dad were arguing and I kind of . . . um . . . ran away."

"I thought you were afraid of the dark."

_Afraid_? The dark was his best friend. "Since when?!" he demanded.

"Since forever."

He stopped on a roof and Naruto discovered why when an ANBU with a dolphin mask--it was Iruka; his trademark ponytail totally gave him away--touched down next to them, a familiar person in tow. "Dad! Dad, they're clerics and they're evil!"

The Fourth hugged him. "Yes, I know. Are you okay?" He nodded. "Good, good. Where are your friends?"

"I sent them back to their den. Dad, they tried to put a collar on me."

"A collar?" The Fourth felt around his neck quickly and he successfully managed not to cringe away instinctively from the rough contact. "What kind of collar?"

"Just a collar. It was kind of wide and red."

"Where were they?"

"Um . . ." Naruto tried to orient himself, but Kakashi beat him to it.

Pointing eastward, the dog-masked ANBU said, "Dolphin trapped them. Field seven."

"All right, I'm going to check it out. The two of you take Naruto home and call the pair from the forest. Hotaru and Nyoko are in my office."

The Fourth left and Kakashi and Iruka set off toward the Hokage's office, Naruto between them. They left him at the window, instructing him to wait until they returned. He obediently entered the dimly-lit office and found the six secretaries sitting in a crooked circle, apparently playing blackjack. They glanced around at him, behind his father's desk, then nodded to him and murmured, "Naruto-sama."

"Hi. Is Mom back there? . . . Thanks." He slipped around behind the desk to find Nyoko and his mother lying on the pillow from the closet, both asleep. He knelt down behind his mother and shook her gently. "Mom . . . Mom . . ."

She inhaled deeply and blinked a few times, then turned her head to look around at him. When she recognized him, she nearly got to her feet, but Nyoko's lying on her arm prevented the reflexive action. "Naruto!"

He gave her an awkward sideways hug so that she would not wake Nyoko trying to get up. "Hi, Mom. Everything's okay."

She gave him a disbelieving once-over, but seemed satisfied that he was not hurt or trying to hide pain. "Where's your father?"

"He's . . . um . . . busy."

"Did you even _see_ him?"

"Yes."

"He told me about the people in the cloaks."

"Oh." That made things easier. "Well, they're clerics. Of something. And they're really dangerous, so stay away from them. If you see them, report their location but don't confront them or anything." He raised his voice a little, knowing there were eavesdroppers. "And that goes for you guys too, okay?"

There was a startled silence and then a small chorus of, "Yes, Naruto-sama," from the chuunin.

Hotaru sat up, careful to not wake Nyoko, just as four figures slipped noiselessly through the window and landed with equal silence on the floor. Naruto nearly shoved his mother back to the floor in his alarm--the clerics were quiet that way--but identified their attire before acting so frightened and scaring her.

Dog, Dolphin, Hare, Bear.

"You all can go," Kakashi told the secretaries. "Thank you."

The six chuunin cleaned up quietly and left by way of the window.

His mother snorted. "It's always _in_ through the window, _out_ through the window. Can't you all use the _door_ like _normal_ people?"

"Normal?" Naruto replied with a smile, getting to his feet. "What's that?"

Hotaru insisted on being 'normal', so she, Naruto, and Kakashi exited through the main entrance while the other three ANBU secured the building for the night and then kept pace with them in the trees.

"Kakashi-sensei---"

"I really wish you wouldn't call me that while I'm wearing this mask, kiddo."

He rolled his eyes. "Well it's not like anyone who knows you couldn't identify you or Iruka-sensei by your hair."

"It's a matter of principle."

"All right, _fine_. Hey, you in the dog mask---"

"Now you're just being childish."

"_Excuse me_, I have a _question_."

"_Yes_, Naruto-_sama_?"

"I need to go back to my apartment."

". . . That's not a question."

"I wasn't _done_. I need to go back to my apartment so I can get some sleep for tomorrow. Could you take me there? I'd go by myself, but Dad would eat me alive if I did."

"Nope. Sorry. Your dad said to take you home."

"The apartment _is_ my home now."

"That's not what he meant and you and I both know it. No."

The house was mostly dark--Hitomi was sitting in the lounge, staring straight ahead with glazed and puffy eyes, and looked more or less like a zombie when Naruto entered the room. She started to cry and apologize for letting Nyoko get away, but her coherence dissolved completely into sobs when she saw Hotaru carrying the toddler. Hotaru invited her to help put Nyoko to bed so they could talk about Nyoko's behavior. When they were gone, Naruto all but collapsed on the couch with a heavy sigh and closed his eyes.

_We are **so damn lucky**._

_This is ridiculous. You need to train, boy._

_Tell me something I **don't** know. Listen, tomorrow I'm going to walk Shinju to school and then I'll start my training. I'll begin with the heaviest weights I can stand--that should give me a bit of a jump-start. If we can keep away from those clerics until the end of the month, I might just have something to work with by then. In the meantime, you find a way to get us home because if you specifically can get out of here, I don't think those people will come after me--or the other me, rather--anymore. They'll have to give up._

_Believe me, I'm already thinking about it._

He did not remember falling asleep, but all of the sudden he realized he was groggy and being carried somewhere. ". . . Dad?"

"Shh. Go back to sleep."

"Dad . . . wanna go back . . . m'apar'ment . . ."

He was being placed on something soft . . . his bed? "Yeah right."

"_Dad_ . . ."

"I said _shh_. It's late. _Sleep_." Covers were drawn to his neck and a kiss was placed on his forehead. "Good night."

"But Dad . . ."

"_Good night_."

". . . Damn it."

"Watch your mouth, Naruto."

"Apar'ment."

"_No_, damn it!"

". . . Watch yer mouf, Dad."

"Oh, ha ha, aren't _you_ so cute. _Go to sleep_."

"Cler'cs?"

There was a heavy sigh. "They got away. Somehow."

_They **got away**? From **ice**?_ Naruto felt himself tremble slightly, though he did not know whether it was from exhaustion or fear. ". . . Dad?"

"_Naruto_ . . ."

". . . 'M a li'l . . . scared . . ."

The hostility in the air vanished instantly and his hair was stroked. "It's okay, Naruto. A little fear is good--means your brain is working right and helps you think a bit more clearly. But you'll always be safe here. I won't let anything happen to you."

He apparently fell asleep after that, because the next thing that woke him was the sun.

The sun and the _eyes_.

"_Ack_!"

"Good morning!"

Even a universe apart, Kakashi's eyes still curved up whenever he was entertained.

"_Don't sneak up on me, Kakashi-sensei_!"

"You're going to miss your breakfast if you don't get up!" he chirped.

"I have to have breakfast with Shinju so I can take her to school without a fuss."

"She's already here. You can have breakfast and then walk her there, and after you can go train like you were planning."

Sure enough, Shinju was in the dining room excitedly sharing her first day of school with the other girls there. Being girls, they were openly supportive of her adventure and constantly nodding and saying 'ooh' or 'ahh' if they heard something they found even slightly interesting. A few of them looked moved to try school themselves.

The Fourth, of course, was presiding over the whole table as usual, his attention focused on Shinju's enthusiasm. He still turned, though, when Naruto entered the room, despite that his back completely faced that way. "How are you, Naruto? Still okay?"

"Yeah." He sat--almost slumped--at the table and filled his plate, avoiding the hands that reached for him. "Really, Dad, I'm fine. I'm just a little tired still. Let me eat and I'll wake up some more."

"If you're sure," was the reluctant answer. "Are you going to train today?"

"After I take Shinju to school, yes."

"Do you mind if Hitomi and your mother and sister join you?"

"The more the merrier. Send them along."

"Good. Oh, and you're going to start having supper here occasionally."

"Is this mandatory?"

"Is there something wrong with that?"

"No. Whyfor, though?"

"Because I'm your father and I said so. Next to that, it's a matter of making sure you're still in good health while you're training."

"I can manage my diet!"

"I'm sure you can if you can cook, but Aya was insistent."

Naruto smirked. "For being Hokage, you sure let women walk all over you."

His father simply _looked_ at him. "I brought you into this world--I can take you out."

"Yeah, but I can wiggle a lot more nowadays. I've even been nicknamed 'The Worm' in certain imaginary circles."

He was given a very severe look. "Have you been getting involved with those imaginary fighting groups, again?"

"Why yes, I imagine I have. What do you intend to do about it?"

They glared at one another, then broke into chuckles. His father grabbed his head in one hand and drew him nearer to plant a kiss on it.

"Train hard, Naruto. I expect vast improvement over the level you're at now."

"That won't be too difficult. I can't believe I let myself get this way."

"Don't beat yourself up too much. You must have had a reason." He scratched his head at that. "But don't ask me what it was because I haven't the foggiest idea."

". . . When do _you_ train?"

"Eh? Oh, er . . . Whenever I have a spare moment. Not that those come by often . . ."

"I want to fight you."

"What?"

"When I'm stronger. I want to fight you."

The Fourth seemed hesitant. "I don't know . . ."

"Oh, _come on_, Dad! Don't wimp out on me! Or are you really _that_ old that you think you'll break something?"

He was gratified to see a flash of competitive spirit and received a sharp grin. "You. Me. The training field. In a month. No excuses."

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

Yeah, not much of a battle, but it's something, isn't it? Naruto still isn't strong enough to fight for himself anyway (not that he wouldn't have tried if it had come down to it), so he'd have to be rescued, in the end.

---

Kakashi and Iruka! Remember them? They left with a scroll in what . . . chapter four? They're finally back! It may seem like a long time because it's been so many chapters, but actually, they were only gone for two days.

---

Yes, Hotaru and Nyoko were sleeping behind the Fourth's desk. It's safer than lying out in the middle of a room where any enemy could toss a kunai in through a window and kill them. Out of sight, out of mind, as they say.

---

Kakashi's a little bit of a prankster, oh yes. You will see a _teeny_ bit more of this later.

---

No, the Yondaime-Naruto fight will not be written out. Not for the time being, anyway, and particularly because Naruto meant when he was at _full_ strength, which he could not possibly reach in just one month. I don't care _how_ talented he is--in this case the power gap is _too big_ to close in just a month. It was the Fourth who only gave him a month and Naruto's not exactly one to back down from a challenge, even if he gets his ass handed to him. I'll allude to the scope of the results in a later chapter, so the outcome won't be a secret (though it should be obvious already).

For the record, though, I'll assure you that in this battle, Naruto did not use any jutsu that would give him away both because he was thinking clearly enough that he didn't want to announce that he wasn't who he said he was _and_ because a great deal of his techniques require skill, control, and chakra that his current body doesn't have. Beyond that, he'll still have to learn to work Kyuubi's chakra through the half-dismantled seal (which would definitely have an effect on chakra transfer) and convince Kyuubi to let him _have_ that chakra. Hey, even if they usually get along by this point, that's _only_ usually. Kyuubi can still be a jerk.

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	15. Missing

**Author's Notes:** Chapter fifteen! The triplets prove their usefulness and Naruto's sanity is stretched to the limit once again.

Whoo! Slipping in under the wire, aren't I? Almost three-thirty in the morning. It's already Sunday on the east coast where I live, but it's still Saturday on the west coast! Ha ha! Isn't that lucky? Did I scare you? Sorry if I did. I didn't do it on purpose, I promise.

A lot of people are really eager to have the Fourth find out about canonverse!Kyuubi. While I understand that desire completely and have every intention of it happening (I've already drafted the scene), it won't actually be happening for a _very long time_. To clarify the situation, I currently have forty-six chapters of _Door Number Two_ finished, but the story isn't done and I have yet to get to and finalize that particular scene. So please, don't hold your breath (you _will_ end up in the hospital, I'm afraid), but rest assured that it will occur, and when it does there's no way you could possibly miss it.

_Door Number Two_ has **_fanart_**! Hooray! Both are brought to you by the most generous and talented Nutzbrat. The links should show up, but if they don't I'm going to add them to my profile page anyway, so check there if they're not here. One is a picture of Shinju (www . deviantart. com / deviation/ 48658740) and the other is essentially a brief doujinshi of scenes from chapters eight and nine (www . deviantart. com / deviation/ 48682242). Remove the spaces (I'm sure you know the drill), take a look, and show your appreciation (if deviantart accepts anonymous reviews--I don't remember)! Shinju is _beautiful_!

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 3,400

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 2/17/07

**Disclaimer:** Maybe if Hell freezes.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Fifteen - Missing

* * *

The month passed by rather quickly and things happened practically on top of each other. Oddly enough, it had little to do with either the faceless clerics or non-Konoha ninja and was a bit more everyday than that. Much to the consternation of both Naruto and the Fourth, Shinju managed to get herself a job without even looking for it. The class she was part of was bigger than it usually was and so in exchange for one-on-one sessions in the morning and a corner of the teacher's pay, Shinju helped the younger kids learn and watched over them in the schoolyard. There could hardly be any complaints, though, because she _was_ learning.

Not that it did anything for the concept of 'spending money', which she simply could not comprehend. She repeatedly attempted to offer it to help with the rent and had grown confident enough--_Gods, has her confidence gotten a boost!_--to pester Naruto about it until he finally turned to his father for assistance. The Fourth had taken her shopping in the 'nonessentials' streets and tasked her with finding Nyoko a birthday present, since Shinju was now Nyoko's adopted older sister. Along the way, Shinju made eyes at a few of the other items and with some cajoling she made purchases for herself. That led to a lecture about saving a portion of her wages for future, larger purchases.

When that was solved, Naruto turned to the newest problem: the 'triplets'. Genko, Byako, and Shakko followed him _everywhere_. Or tried to. They had been positively _delighted_ that he was out training in a place where they could romp in the sun and nip at his heels in safety. Fortunately, they were very gentle with Nyoko whenever she got up to play with them and sometimes Genko could be caught reclining in Hotaru's lap like a cat that was far too pleased with herself.

That was not the problem.

The problem was that once the day was over, the three wanted to follow him home. Not into the village, but to the Hokage's house. This would not have been a problem either, really, except for a few small points.

"_No_," the Fourth said firmly, and Naruto had to try very hard not to be depressed at the sight of the three sets of drooped fox ears. "First of all, this place isn't exactly closed to the general public and it's hard to say what someone would do if they saw kitsune floating around here. Second, they aren't even housebroken---"

_"I know where to go!"_ Shakko barked indignantly.

_"You don't see us trashing our den, do you?!"_ Byako demanded.

_"Vixens **never** go indoors!"_ Genko swore.

". . . and _third_," the Fourth went on, ignoring the foxes, who he could not understand anyway, "they're used to being outdoors. I doubt they could handle being in here for more than a few hours."

_"We can!"_ Shakko insisted.

"You heard him, guys," Naruto sighed, sitting dejectedly on the porch with them while his father went into the house. "You can't come inside."

_"That's not fair! **You** can go in!"_

"Yeah, but I'm _certified_ potty-trained. In comparison, the likelihood of me going off to find an empty corner is less than zero."

_"But we want to see your den!"_

"It's just a house."

_"But we want to see it! It's **huge**!"_

"Listen, Dad is . . . Dad's a tenko. So is Mom. That's the kind of authority they have. I may be one too, but I'm still younger. I have to obey or I'll lose a tail."

_"But your mother likes us!"_ Genko replied, _" And vixens rule the den!"_

"She likes you _outside_. If you're saying she'd let you inside, don't bother. Mom's answer is always 'no'. You don't even have to ask--it just is. If you want Mom to say 'yes', you have to get back-up in the form of Dad, because he can convince her much more easily than I could. But if Dad says no then that's pretty much the end of it."

_"Then convince_ _**him**!"_

"Have you ever tried to convince a tree to stop growing?"

Of course, being who they were, they took this as a challenge. Naruto was not around the house every night, but they were. They tried to slip in at every opportunity and as a result, instead of trying to _leave_ the house, Nyoko would go to the front door specifically to let the three in so they would play with her. Hitomi and the other girls were afraid that they would bite, so none of them tried to shoo the foxes out. Aya thought they were precious and fed them, which only made them more determined to stay. Naruto could not be blamed, because after they initially got their way the first month ended, as did his training, and he was out every day performing highly boring D-class assignments as the next month began.

Arashi was adamant about keeping them outdoors and threatened them often, but after a while--when no messes were made and they all conveniently disappeared whenever there were guests--he let them stay in during the day and put them out at night. They immediately set out to remedy this as well and within two weeks, after hiding themselves multiple times and forcing him to look all over the house, they were spending the night locked up in Naruto's room with the window cracked so they could slip out if they needed to. The lock was not to keep them from making a mess as much as it was the fear that they would try to sleep with Nyoko and suffocate her by accident, and her door had to be kept unlocked in case there was another assassin sent in. However, this was also quickly 'remedied' by the three resolutely ending up in bed with Arashi and Hotaru several mornings in a row. Naruto would find out later that they did this by shape-shifting into bugs and crawling in through the gaps beneath the doors.

Understandably, Arashi was ready to kick them all out of the house entirely and actually have Kyuubi discipline them, but one night turned that thought completely around. That night the three had crawled into the master bedroom and silently taken up residence on the bed as usual. Arashi had done a lot of running around that day and had then participated in a mock battle with Rin to keep her taijutsu honed--she relied on her genjutsu too much sometimes--so he was more tired than usual. He had not noticed the three foxes, which was not unusual, but _had_ sensed a small flare of chakra. His internal alarms had gone off and he had started to sit up before he was even particularly awake, but the single flare of chakra had been it; there was nothing else. No follow-up chakra, no bloodlust, nothing.

Assuming the guards had been fooling around, he tucked the wakizashi he kept under his pillow back where it had been and returned to sleep. In the morning, he had been quite caught off his guard to find a Rain-nin standing slumped over at the end of the bed. The ninja's eyes were unfocused and he patted his head as he rubbed his stomach. Vulpine giggles had drifted from the floor and in the next moment the Rain-nin was punching himself in the side of the head.

"What have you done?" Arashi had asked distantly, morbidly fascinated by the sight. The three nogitsune had hopped onto the bed and padded to him, seeking praise for their trick. He had let them climb into his lap and pet each one, watching the Rain-nin for signs of consciousness. There would be none, he had deduced when the white fox had licked his cheek, because they had completely seduced the enemy ninja. The threat was non-existent.

Kakashi appeared in the window about then, quite alarmed. "Sensei, the guards outside are unconscious!" He spotted the Rain-nin and armed himself. "Wha---?!"

"Wait!" he had commanded. "Don't! He's not here." He had looked down at the foxes in his lap. "He's in their world now, I think." Three toothy grins had agreed. "Gather a team to take him in for interrogation. I need to stay here in case Hotaru wakes up."

Kakashi had taken a distrustful, sideways look at the Rain-nin, then vanished. His return minutes later had been preceded by the three foxes slithering carefully beneath the covers of the bed to hide themselves. The team of ANBU had moved cautiously at first, not sure what they were dealing with.

"I think he's been seduced," Arashi had told them. "I also think he's been there half the night already, so if he hasn't come around yet I'm not sure he will."

The Rain-nin had been speedily disarmed and securely bound and Arashi had felt a soft nip at his knee. In the next moment, the Rain-nin had shaken himself from his daze and tried to fight, but it had been rather half-hearted. He had been removed and the guards set loose from the jutsu that had put them to sleep like before. Once they had all gone--and Hotaru had slept through the whole thing--the three foxes squirmed out from under the covers and leaped about happily, colliding head-on with each other in what was apparently some kind of congratulatory headbutt.

"Okay, you win," Arashi had sighed finally, and the three sat in front of him attentively. "I'll let you all stay inside as long as you keep out of sight and do your best to protect Hotaru and Nyoko while you're here. Agreed?"

He had been promptly smothered in fox kisses.

The three nogitsune took the task very seriously, and proved it barely a week later.

"She's _gone_?!" Naruto cried, panicked. "What happened?!"

"We think she woke up during the night and just walked out. The guards were doing a security sweep on the other side of the house and never saw her. They found her footprints when it started to rain, but those disappeared beyond the trees."

This was _not_ what Naruto had wanted to hear upon returning from an overnight assignment. "Let me help look for her!"

"I can't spare you, Naruto. I'm sorry."

Naruto was usually very professional in the mission room--much more professional than Arashi had expected, considering that he had never been in the place before--and made light of his bloodline in favor of displaying politeness and obedience, even though Arashi could see that the D-class assignments grated on the boy's nerves something fierce. Kakashi, whom Arashi had decided would be Naruto's 'field teacher'--but more a bodyguard--had reported equal professionalism in the field despite the young blond being quite obviously bored to tears.

So when Naruto crawled across the desk, Arashi was slightly surprised at the behavior. His firstborn hugged his neck and begged loudly, "Please, Dad, please! Let me help! Please! _Please_ let me!"

"No, Naruto."

"_Please_!"

Arashi felt guilt creep up to nibble at his mind. Being a one-man team--because there was no way Kakashi would intervene unless he was told to or felt it was direly necessary--Naruto had no one to disagree with him. As a result he was able to do all of the assignments in the way he thought was best. Whether or not it _was_ best was a moot point, but Naruto was alone and could do things his way without having to spend the time trying to justify it to anyone else. This had him begin and complete assignments a great deal faster than the other genin teams, so that he could often finish two or three totally unrelated shopping trips, garden weedings, or babysittings in one day. Arashi had been so impressed by Naruto's sudden efficiency with work--maybe losing part of his memory was not so bad after all--that he had simply kept on giving him things to do.

Now, though, in the face of something as frightening as Nyoko's disappearance, Naruto's exhaustion was coming through in the form of tears of frustration at being denied the chance to help find her. Arashi reassured him the best he could, only realizing that Kakashi had gone when his old student returned with a light blanket and the pillow from his office. The blanket did not make sense, as Naruto had never gotten chilly while sleeping before, until he remembered that it was raining and felt the icy rainwater soak into his clothes from Naruto's. The boy would catch a cold indeed if he did not warm up.

In moments he was able to remove Naruto's soaked jacket and bed the boy down, tucking the soft blanket--one that Hotaru had made for him for the times when he stayed late at the office and thought he might fall asleep--around the small, chilled body.

"I want Nyoko," Naruto sobbed weakly. "I don't want her to die . . ."

Arashi was at a loss as to how to remedy the situation, particularly with Naruto's odd new behavior. Yes, Naruto had cared very much about Nyoko's well-being and his panic was justified, but at the same time there was no _real_ explanation for it.

When Nyoko had first been born, Naruto had been . . . _hateful_ was too strong a word, but . . . he had been hostile toward her. He had never abused her or been otherwise cruel to her--it really was a wonder that he had never poisoned her, all things considered--but for all his spoiling and loving of her in front of the girls, he had been contemptuous in look and act when he thought that no one was watching. He had glared at her or ignored her when she reached for him. It was understandable; after ten years of being an only child, suddenly having to vie for his parents' attention could not have been easy to accept. Add to that the fact that Hotaru had usually only been awake when Nyoko was and that he himself had come back from the office and made time for Nyoko, but not Naruto.

In hindsight, he could not recall a time when he had been more ashamed. He could very clearly remember coming home and taking Nyoko off of Hotaru's hands in the same way he had done when Naruto was that age. However, he had repeatedly forgotten that though Nyoko needed his attention, Naruto needed his attention just as much. Day after day he had entertained Nyoko until bedtime and remembered too late that he had not said a single word to Naruto, who by that time of night had retreated to his bedroom. Every night he had vowed, "Tomorrow," but sadly, that particular tomorrow had never come.

Hotaru, who at the time had been so worn-out by Nyoko that she had not so much as _seen_ Naruto for weeks, had suggested busying Naruto with getting Shinju acquainted with Konoha. It was a hollow diversion and, as expected, backfired like a keg of lit gunpowder. Naruto had seen the distraction for what it was and, also understandably, gotten angry with the household in general as they were all cooing over Nyoko. He had gone into a tirade of bitter silence and began leaving the house before anyone woke up and not returning until long after everyone else had fallen asleep. Despite having perfect attendance, his academy grades plunged drastically.

At Ichiraku's, Arashi had told Naruto that his bad grades had just been a result of being a bored adventurer, but that had not been the entire truth. Sure, Naruto was an adventurer and had been bored, but his grades had held steady at a B average--considerably higher than Arashi's own academy grades--initially. It was not until a short time after Nyoko's birth that his grades took a nose-dive straight into the 'failure' category. Naruto had cleverly managed to intercept the mail for a while and alter his grades to modestly reflect his old ones--he had never given himself any outstanding grades, apparently under the impression that no one would care or correctly thinking someone _would_ notice and grow suspicious--but finally his academy teacher, Iruka, had dropped by to discuss the situation.

At first, the discovery had made Arashi both intensely embarrassed and intensely furious. After the meeting with the teacher, he had sat up half the night in Naruto's room, fuming silently. The Hokage's son was a _failure_? He had dwelled on that single thought for hours until Naruto had finally shown up. The boy had been gaunt and had dark circles under his eyes, but there had been no sympathy. They had promptly awakened the majority of the house with a shouting match that lasted until Naruto, in a rush of frustrated tears, had finally blurted out how abandoned and betrayed he had been feeling all that time with a shocking, "Do you even _love_ me anymore?!"

It was only then that Arashi the Hokage was shoved aside by Arashi the Father and for the first time he really _saw_ how Naruto's resentment had eaten away at him. He had calmed down and they had talked until morning, but it did not have the desired effect. Naruto's grades slowly improved to low C's and high D's and he paid a little bit more positive attention to Nyoko--which eventually evolved into an almost normal sibling relationship--but the worst of the damage had already been done long before and was, apparently, irreversible. Naruto had become lackluster, highly distrustful of adults, and frighteningly independent for someone who was barely eleven years old.

It had hurt, and though he knew it would lead to clashes of will further down the road Arashi had held on that much tighter as he tried to find a way to fix the terrible mistake that had been made. Those all-day pity sessions in his office had ended more or less fruitlessly, as there was no way he could repair such an awful length of time with an apology and a bowl of ramen. Even if Naruto had actually been willing to accept them, or just one, it would not turn back time. No matter how Naruto might have forgiven him, he could not forgive himself so easily and it was augmented ruthlessly by the knowledge that Naruto, despite claiming that he understood what had happened and forgave, had not done--or could not do--either.

Then Naruto had been attacked and the pattern of bruises indicated self-mutilation that was not that far off from outright suicide. The guilt had been suffocating and Arashi had been so upset and afraid that it had taken Kakashi's patience with him to point out the rather blatant fact that the severity of the bruising in some places was quite incorrect if it actually had been done by Naruto's own hands. With that revelation, Arashi had been out for blood. Lots of it. Even so, he had not been able to simply leave Naruto there to go on a hunt because he had wanted to be there when Naruto woke. When Naruto _did_ wake . . .

It was both a nightmare and a dream come true. He had not known or barely known the people he had been around all his life, but seemed quite familiar with the people he had rarely spent time with outside of strict business. At the same time, he had more or less forgotten how he had been for the past two years and become a sort of fusion of himself--jaded and distrustful of most, but attached to his family to the degree of all but worshipping the ground Nyoko toddled on. It was an almost total turn-around and Nyoko in particular was absolutely _in love_ with the new Naruto.

For Arashi, it both eased and accentuated his guilt. He had known the mere memory of being ignored had haunted Naruto ceaselessly and, when one thought about it, amnesia seemed like the perfect answer. Yet it only made him feel worse because he was making excuses and doing his best to avoid returning the memories Naruto had a right to. The problem was that--and here was where the guilt _really_ set in--just like Nyoko, Arashi liked the new Naruto much better than the old one and did not want to change the way things had become.

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

Kitsune can transform in anything found in nature: rocks, water, people, trees, even whole forests (though I imagine the last would be difficult or impossible for a kitsune of few tails to perform). However, this doesn't give them the inborn abilities of that form and they are vulnerable to whatever could hurt that form. So the triplets, when they turned into bugs, could not climb walls without chakra but still had to make sure no one saw them and stomped on them or they would have died like any insect.

---

A wakizashi is a side arm that is essentially a short katana, but it is _not_ a kodachi ('small sword') even though their similar sizes can create confusion. A kodachi is, as its name implies, a 'miniature katana' that is usually no more than two feet (sixty centimeters) long, has a curve deeper than a wakizashi's, and is generally used alongside hand-to-hand techniques. In contrast, a wakizashi was used by samurai alongside their katana. The length of a wakizashi varies from one to two feet (thirty to sixty centimeters) long and were/are forged to either match the wielder's height or the length of the katana it would be used alongside. If Wikipedia is to be believed (there was no citation, but it still makes enough sense that I feel safe saying it here), samurai wore their wakizashi at _all_ times while awake, no exceptions, and slept with it under their pillow.

---

Kitsune are well-known in legend for their ability to 'hypnotize' victims, which they do by swaying their tail(s) back and forth or simply by meeting the victim's eyes, and then assert control over the victim's mind. Once the control is established, the victim experiences anything the kitsune wants him or her to in his or her own mind. The control remains until someone breaks the magic the kitsune is using (or, presumably, the kitsune can stop the seduction itself if it chose). It's entirely magical, though, so certain other magics or wards can break it.

---

Now introducing: Wangsty!Naruto, who was so absorbed in himself that he didn't think he should have had to bother to ask for some parental attention every once in a while (I am the middle of three children and did not get half of the attention I should have, according to my own mother, because I assumed my parents would remember things that I told them only once while both of my sisters nagged and nagged and _nagged_, so this is a concept that I speak of from experience as far as parallelverse!Naruto is concerned; though I didn't do any of what he did, I've heard of kids who have). Fortunately, since _our_ Naruto is in control of his body, we don't really have to worry about that particular Naruto too much. Not that it doesn't/won't have an affect on our Naruto, but it's pretty dulled.

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Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	16. Sickness

**Author's Notes:** Chapter sixteen! Nyoko is found and both children get sick!

Late(-ish) again. Oi. Sorry. I've been busy having a discussion with someone over something we are both passionate about but regard from opposite sides. But I'm here now, anyway, right?

To **Tot**, I am not posting all of the chapters at once or one a day because I still need time to finish the story. Ideally, posting as I have been will give me time to finish so that you won't ever have to wait longer that you have been for each chapter right up until the story ends.

A marker in history! I have _finally_ received my first purely negative review here! It took a lot longer than I thought it would, to be honest. It was offered by the anonymous reviewer '**x**'. I'm not even going to waste my time responding to '**x**' in detail, as that would take up far too much space here and he or she probably won't be back to see if I care about what he or she thinks anyway. If that person does, he or she should leave an e-mail address. I am a reasonable person in the face of reasonable criticism, so there's no need to be afraid of me shrieking like a banshee. Suffice it to say that this piece is a _drama_ story first and foremost (that's why I listed Drama _before_ Action/Adventure as the genre) and there is _nothing_ that says that _Naruto_ fanfiction _has_ to be action-oriented.

Thank you.

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 3,448

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 2/21/07

**Disclaimer:** If only.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Sixteen - Sickness

* * *

Naruto slept easily through the rest of the day, despite the paper-shuffling and tread of feet on the floor that was practically beneath his ear. Arashi stayed late in the mission room to do a little clean-up and was quite startled when another Naruto walked into the room and ran over to him. He was about to attack--or at least make a threat--when the other Naruto yipped eagerly and a pair of black fox tails began to wag fiercely behind him.

". . . Genko?" He was answered with a series of ecstatic yips. "Shh! You want someone to hear you?! What's wrong?" She danced in an energetic circle, then pointed at her eyes briefly before gesturing to her current form. He took a moment to decipher what she meant. ". . . You're looking for Naruto?" She nodded. "He's right here. Why?"

She dove over the table onto Naruto and began to lick his face, reverting back to her usual fox form in the process. He snorted softly and cracked open an eye to reveal a sad, dull blue iris. ". . . Genko? Go away . . ." He closed his eye again, but she yelped excitedly and this time both his eyes came open. "W-What?!" He grabbed the little nogitsune. "Where?!" She answered and he dropped her as he scrambled to his feet, slamming his head upward into the corner of the table in his rush. "Ow! _Damn it_! You get going! I'll catch up!" Genko obediently jumped up into the air, her little back arched, and vanished in a small puff of smoke.

Arashi bent down and gently rubbed the point of injury on his son's blond head. He had not known Naruto could talk to foxes until recently, when he had originally not allowed the three nogitsune indoors, and after leaving the four outside had overheard the boy talking to them. It did not really worry him, as he figured it was simply something Kyuubi had taught him that he had not forgotten. "What's going on?"

Naruto leaped up. "They found Nyoko! We have to go!"

In seconds, both of them were out the door and Naruto was leading the way to the foxes' den through the heavy rain. There they found Nyoko sleeping quite peacefully beneath the furry warmth of six fluffy tails. It was not difficult to wake her, though.

". . . Nii-chan? . . . Daddy? . . ."

Arashi picked her up cautiously and aside from some scratches and a growling stomach, she seemed little the worse for wear. "I think she might have a fever. Come on. You three go on to the house."

The nogitsune vanished and Naruto obediently hugged his waist so he could transport the three of them directly home. Both of them hovered anxiously while Nyoko was examined and then fed warm broth.

"Other than some superficial cuts and a little starvation and dehydration, she seems fine," the med-nin reported. "She _does_ have a bit of a fever, but her staying warm until you found her helped a lot. She should recover in a few days with some rest and TLC."

He sighed. "Thank you for coming out so suddenly, Rin. Especially in this weather."

She smiled. "It's not like I'm particularly busy. It's nice to be a med-nin and have my most alarming case in months be a toddler with a cold. But really, sensei, you either need to hire a _new_ babysitter or a _second_ one."

He nodded. "Hitomi asked for help just before this happened, but with the teams and the assignments being what they are, I sort of put it on the back burner."

Naruto sneezed and Rin turned on him with the politely rabid expression only dedicated medical personnel could make. "Are you sick, too?"

The boy rubbed his nose. "No. Just some dust."

She moved in anyway and began examining him, managing to be considerably successful at it despite his foiling her at every possible opportunity. For some reason, he especially did not like it when she started to poke at his stomach. Straightening, she said, "You're suffering from exhaustion and malnutrition and your temperature's up. Get plenty to eat and drink and stay in bed as long as you can."

"Hmph."

"If you _don't_ do it I'll have you pulled off the duty roster."

Instead of being cowed, Naruto got angry. "You can't do that, you old witch! I have rent to pay, you know, and my monthly allowance was cut when I started taking on assignments! It'll only cover the rent if I don't eat!"

Rin looked up at Arashi, startled, and he touched his son's shoulder. ". . . Naruto?"

Naruto blinked at him, then blushed slightly. _Shit._

_Yes, that was **brilliant**,_ Kyuubi scoffed.

_Shut up, asshole._ "Um . . . Sorry. I . . . I guess I am tired. I'm going to go to bed, okay?"

"Okay." He watched Naruto walk to the door, then reached out and spun him around to stop him. "Don't tell me you're going to go back into the village."

"That's where my bed is."

"You have a bed here, too."

"But Shinju . . ."

"She'll be fine. Go to bed."

Naruto wandered off quietly and when he was gone, Rin asked curiously, "You cut his allowance?"

He shook his head. "Naruto doesn't _have_ an allowance. Not a monthly one, anyway. It's more a whenever-he-needs-money one. Even if he did, his paycheck would more than cover the rent. It'd pay for at least two weeks of food--two months or more if he bought only cup ramen." Rin rolled her eyes at that, but he was not paying attention. "For his wages to _not_ cover rent and food, his rent would have to be at least double what it is now."

"Is it delirium?"

"No. He's been saying strange things like that ever since he was attacked. In fact, he _has_ mentioned rent before. When we were signing the contract for the apartment he seemed surprised at the rent. Apparently, he thought it was too low and accused the owner of being nice to him just because I was there . . . Something about jacking the price up later. He was . . . really upset about it at the time and then afterward, when I calmed him down."

"Does it happen a lot?"

"No. Just occasionally. Why?"

She frowned. ". . . I'm not sure I've ever heard of anything like that. Nothing that wasn't a confusion jutsu or an outright replacement, anyway."

"Don't _even_ get started," he groused. "I've had enough of conspiracy theories to last me the rest of my life."

"Oh, someone beat me to it?"

"Almost two months ago."

"I see. Well if it's not that it could be schizophrenia."

"Does it _have_ to be a medical condition?"

"Sensei, _everything_ pertaining to the mind and body is going to be a medical condition. Being in _perfect health_ is a medical condition."

"It's not schizophrenia."

She reached out toward him, but then changed her mind and lowered her hand. "Sensei, whatever it is, it could get worse. He could start hurting other people or himself and he'd never know what happened unless someone told him. When's his next check-up?"

"A couple of days before Nyoko's birthday. They're both going."

"Maybe you should have the doctor look at him."

"No."

". . . Sensei, why?"

"Because . . ."

_Because if something **is** wrong it would be my fault, and I . . . I'd be . . ._

". . . Sensei?"

"He's fine."

"Sensei . . ."

"Just drop it, Rin. And don't even try to go behind my back. Naruto's belligerent around strangers. I think it's because he's scared of them, and you know how scared animals act when they're cornered."

"Like you?" she snapped, annoyed.

He looked at her, decided it an appropriate analogy, then turned to leave the room. ". . . Yes, exactly. Like me." He waved a hand at her distractedly. "Thanks again for coming to see Nyoko. I'll be sure that you're compensated for your time."

* * *

Naruto spent the entire night and most of the next morning sleeping deeply. Unfortunately for his very pleasant dreams, Nyoko's crying woke him. He rolled over and tried to go back to sleep--Hitomi would take care of her--but after twenty minutes of ceaseless shrieking, Naruto got up and, after spending probably thirty seconds or more coughing harshly, staggered to Nyoko's room. A startled housekeeper--not Hitomi--turned to him when he entered and they stared at one another briefly.

"Oh, Naruto-sama!" the girl cried. "I'm so sorry I woke you!"

"'S fine," he mumbled, rubbing one eye. "Whatsa matter?"

"Well, Lady Hotaru and Miss Hitomi went into the village to find someone to help Miss Hitomi watch Nyoko-sama. I was asked to keep an eye on Nyoko-sama, but I can't get her to stop crying. I've tried feeding her and changing her diaper, but nothing has worked."

"Lemme try."

She was screaming so hard her eyes were squeezed shut. He picked her up and held her at arm's length--it was easier on his ears and pounding head that way--and after a moment she stopped and blinked at him. ". . . Nii-chan?"

"Hi, sweetie. What's wrong?"

She coughed and reached out for him. "Feel bad."

He pulled her in close. "Yeah, me too. You wanna sleep with me?"

She snuggled into his shirt. "Yes."

"Okay." He looked at the housekeeper. "Um . . ."

"Takako."

"Takako, sorry. I'll watch Nyoko. You go ahead and do your usual chores."

"Are . . . Are you sure, Naruto-sama? I'll try harder."

"No, it's okay." He turned his head to the side so he would not cough on Nyoko, who was apparently already asleep again. _Geez, how did I get this sick so quickly?_ "She's a little sick and I doubt she's going to be interested in having anything to eat. She and I'll just sleep, that's all."

". . . If you say so, Naruto-sama."

"Yeah. Thanks for trying, though." He shuffled back to his room and carefully collapsed into bed once more. Curling around Nyoko, he drew his blankets up over both of them and kissed the top of her head. "Sleep tight," he murmured.

He drifted to sleep himself and possibly would have slept through the rest of the day and night except that someone tried to take Nyoko away. He registered the gentle motion and reacted with force, sitting up sharply and glaring warningly at the intruder.

Or that was how it would have been, anyway, if he had not started to cough the instant he was upright.

He was supported and held close. "Easy, Naruto. It's just Hitomi and your mother and me." Coughing so hard made his throat feel dry and full and he began to swallow convulsively. ". . . Hitomi, the garbage can, quick!"

He closed his eyes tightly and swallowed again, then coughed softly once. It did not make the feeling go away, but he realized what it was. ". . . Water . . ."

"I'll get it," Hitomi volunteered, setting the trash can down by the bed.

A cool hand rested against his forehead. "You're still warm. How do you feel?"

"Bad," he replied, which was an understatement. He _ached_.

His side was stroked. "You'll be okay."

He hardly felt okay right then, but it was nice to be held. Hitomi returned with a glass of water that he began to drink eagerly.

"Whoa, there. Not so fast or you really _will_ throw up." The glass was taken from him and he was flipped carefully onto his back. The glass was returned to him, but a hand kept him from drinking it too quickly. When he was finished he let go of it and leaned into his father's strong frame, groaning softly. "Poor kid."

"We should give them some medicine," Hotaru said quietly.

He was collected and carried from his room to the kitchen, where he was set on his feet. He remained where he had been placed, standing listlessly, and listened as Nyoko fussed mightily about being medicated. A few moments later, a hand offered him one of those tiny little plastic measuring cups that came with bottles of cough medicine. He stared at it blankly, recognizing it only from the times Iruka had begged, cajoled, and otherwise threatened him, then looked up at his father blankly.

"I hope you aren't going to be as difficult about this as your sister was."

_I hate that stuff,_ Kyuubi hissed. _If you take it, I'll make you vomit._

_I'm not going to let my throat go raw because you're squeamish about medicine._ He took the little cup and quickly drank the thick syrup.

True to his word, Kyuubi nudged his gag reflex and he rushed to bend over the sink, just in case. Fortunately, his control won out and he slumped to the floor. He was given another glass of water, which he consumed gratefully. After finishing it, he was picked up and returned to his bed. Nyoko was not tucked in beside him and Hitomi had also gone missing.

"Mom?" he questioned as the covers were drawn up to his neck.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Find anyone?"

"Find any . . . Oh, yes. She's already done several babysitting jobs before this and all of her references gave glowing praise."

"She babysat _ninja_ kids?"

"They're the _only_ ones she's babysat, actually, which is why I picked her."

"Okay. She'll be good, then."

"Nice to have your esteemed approval," was the amused reply. "By the way, her name is Sakura Haruno."

He bolted into a sit. "Sakura-chan?!"

His parents stared at him. "Sakura_-chan_?"

_Whoops._ "Um . . . I mean . . . Isn't she a ninja?"

Hotaru gave him a sideways look. ". . . No. She's the Yamanaka Flower Shop delivery girl. A few years ago she started to babysit for some extra pocket change."

"Yamanaka? Then what about Ino? She's a ninja, right?"

Hotaru frowned worriedly. "Ino Yamanaka? No. She's . . . um . . . She's always worked in her family's shop. I think she _almost_ became a ninja, but she and Sakura are bosom buddies and since Sakura never went into the academy, Ino didn't either."

"But . . . But why not? Aren't they obsessed with Sasuke?"

"Naruto! That's not nice!"

"_Aren't they_?!"

"No! Why would you even think that?"

He looked between his parents, who both looked very concerned, and collapsed back to the bed, pulling his blankets up over his head. _That's too weird . . ._ "Never mind."

After several minutes of silence, his covers were pulled back just enough that he could be kissed on the head. "Good night, Naruto."

"'Night," he mumbled.

"Then you'll be available to meet Hitomi's assistant tomorrow?" his mother asked.

"If I'm not vomiting up my lungs, yes."

"Don't be vulgar," his father scolded.

"I'm just being realistic. You think the thought doesn't sicken me as well?"

The light to his room was turned off and the door shut quietly. He sighed and closed his eyes and tried to go to sleep. When he next listened, he knew he was back in his world in the hospital. From Iruka's reports--Iruka was the only one who actually spoke to him as if he could or would talk back--he knew he had been taken off life support and been left with simply a heart and brain monitor to prove he was alive.

Over the months, he had been able to tell who was sitting with him. Iruka was the easiest to recognize because he almost never did _not_ speak. Hinata was surprisingly talkative--where Iruka would fill him in on the village goings-on as a whole, Hinata would tell him what was happening within their circle of friends and their friends outside the village--but if she was not talking she was humming and doing something that made clinking and grinding noises. Sakura would fill him in on the latest gossip--Hinata gave him only confirmed facts, but Sakura told him _everything_, confirmed or not--and tell him about how worried about him Sasuke was and how the Uchiha heir had grown even more irritable and bitter than before, especially when someone mentioned his situation. Sasuke never admitted to being that way--whenever he dropped by he always prodded Naruto by going on for several minutes about how much training he was getting in while Naruto was lazing about. However, the concern--near desperation, really--was clear to someone who knew what to listen for.

He could not remember an instance where Kakashi ever actually spoke to him--not even for a simple greeting. There would be a tense few minutes where the jounin would stand over his bed, apparently, and then simply sit down and pull out a book--no doubt that perverted book he was so enamored with. Unlike the rest, whose visits lasted a maximum of half an hour, Kakashi would sit with him in a tense but reassuring silence for hours at a time. Once, he had 'awakened' to hear that Kakashi was already there and as he drifted away to wake up hours later, his teacher had left the room only for a few bathroom breaks--he ate in the room--and had still been sitting there when he woke up completely in the other universe.

Tsunade had given him the medical jargon of his situation as well as the politics he was involved in _in absentia_. Apparently, the nights and days of his world were opposite of the place he was now, because she claimed his brain activity spiked in the morning and levelled out in sleep patterns in the evening, which did not make sense that it was registering him where he was now so it had to be there. Kyuubi's chakra was sustaining his body despite the seal being half missing, but he still needed _food_ and she was going to start feeding him intravenously if he did not wake up soon and it would _not_ be ramen. They had no idea what had happened to do this to him--if it was someone from the village that person was not going around bragging about it. The council was flipping out about the seal's state, expecting Kyuubi to come raging from his navel at any minute, but when monitored Kyuubi's chakra seemed not only to be less than what it had been, but appeared to wax and wane in cadence with his 'waking' and 'sleeping' and everyone who knew Naruto even in the slightest was confident that he had things under control, which was encouraging to hear.

For this 'visit' to the hospital, he heard the occasional turn of a page and felt the anxious but heartening aura that let him know Kakashi was watching over him. To entertain himself, he did what he did whenever no one was talking to him; tried to speak. Kyuubi had told him he would probably not be able to do so, but to go ahead and try it if it amused him--the fox's presence in both universes apparently acted as a bridge to allow him to hear and smell what was going on, but seeing and speaking required much more work to be successful. He imagined it was the same as when he had learned to speak as a toddler. Still, he would have to not get excited if he _did_ get anything done because the adrenalin rush would wake him.

"K . . . 'Kashi-sen . . ."

A page stopped turning roughly half way and then suddenly someone was hanging over him. "Naruto? . . . _Naruto_?"

"'M . . . 'kay . . . Fox . . . 'kay . . . No . . ."

After a long pause, Kakashi asked tentatively, ". . . Naruto?"

"No . . . threat . . . Seal . . ." This was taking a lot more concentration and energy than he had predicted. "Seal . . . 'ntac' . . . two . . . places . . . once . . ."

If Kakashi said anything in reply, he did not hear a word of it because the next thing he knew, he was staring up at the ceiling of his bedroom.

_Good work,_ Kyuubi murmured sleepily. _I guess being such a blasted mule can come in handy sometimes after all._

Naruto rolled over tiredly, his body aching. All that pain for it and he had not even been able to be coherent, and then he got a backhanded compliment on top of it. _Shut up. I'm going to sleep._

_

* * *

_

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

It seems that at least when they shape-shift to a human form, kitsune tend to still have their tail(s) visible. This may or may not apply to a certain number of tails or a certain level of skill.

---

It seems to be that many people do not know the proper definition of schizophrenia, as I have seen this mistake made in several fanworks. Schizophrenia does _not_ mean that a person is suffering from multiple personalities--that's Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD). Schizophrenia actually means that a person can no longer distinguish between what is reality and what is fantasy.

---

Naruto doesn't strike me as the type to get sick very easily, but nobody writes him as ever being sick, so I figured I might as well. Kyuubi can't protect him from everything. Not directly.

---

_I_. _Hate_. _Cough medicine_. Cough medicine is from the Dark Ages--we have liquigels/liquicaps for that kind of thing now. Probably what makes it so bad is that it's supposed to be 'cherry-flavored' (or worse, _grape-_flavored), but it's the most disgusting cherry I've ever tasted. Bleh.

---

Ah ha! Ha! Look! It's Sakura! There she is! (Finally, right?)

---

Naruto doesn't know, so I couldn't really say so, but Hinata's making medicines/salves. You know, kind of like that little jar she gave to Naruto in the chuunin exam prelims.

---

In case anyone needs clarification about Naruto and Kyuubi's situation from the canonverse perspective without the storyline getting in the way, I'll go ahead here.

The days and nights of the universes are reversed--when it's day in canonverse it's night in parallelverse and vice versa. When Naruto goes to sleep in parallelverse, it partially equalizes where his mind and soul are spending time (because he is _trapped_ in his counterpart's body, but he _belongs_ in his own), so his brain activity picks up in canonverse and that makes him seem to be 'awake'. Conversely, when he wakes up in parallelverse, that draws his mind and soul back into his counterpart's body, which makes his brain activity in canonverse level out into what appears to be 'sleep'. Since Naruto and Kyuubi are bound to one another by the seal and one has to go where the other does (that's how they ended up in parallelverse in the first place), Naruto's 'waking' is followed by a slight increase in Kyuubi's power, while Naruto's 'sleeping' is followed by a decrease in Kyuubi's power.

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	17. Hitomi's Assistant

**Author's Notes:** Chapter seventeen! Introducing someone 'new'!

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 2,395

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 2/24/07

**Disclaimer:** Oi.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Seventeen - Hitomi's Assistant

* * *

In the morning, he felt as though he had brawled full-out with Kakashi rather than spoken to him. He rolled from his bed and limped out to the kitchen, where Aya had a few words for his state.

"You! You haven't been training, have you?!"

"No."

"Then why are you all hunched over? Even the flu doesn't make someone do _that_!"

He shuffled into the pantry for some painkillers. "I had a dream where I was fighting a bunch of weird guys. Maybe I actually fought while I was sleeping and hurt myself--my bed's a mess. If that's not it, I have no idea what it is. All I know is that I hurt."

The painkillers would not help immediately, so he went to sit in the dining room, which turned out to be a mistake. He had thought that everyone else had already eaten, but they were still sitting there chatting.

"Naruto, are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Mom. It's just a little pain. I already took something for it."

The Fourth caught his arm gently and put a hand to his forehead. "Your temperature hasn't gone down yet."

"Well it hasn't gone up, either. I'm fine."

"Nyoko's already better."

He looked over the table and sure enough, Nyoko was bouncing in her high chair with the same bubbliness as before. "Ugh. Just looking at her makes me hurt. Besides, I'm not Nyoko. The likelihood that we contracted the same illness isn't exactly high, considering the number of viruses and bacteria floating around at any given time."

"Perhaps so. Sit. Eat."

He complied, but ended up poking at his food more than eating it. He was hungry, a little, and when his stomach felt full he stopped to avoid enjoying it a second time. It left more than half of his plate still holding food, though.

"Naruto?"

He shook his head. "I can't eat any more."

". . . Okay. If you're sure."

He nodded and picked up his sweating glass of orange juice, placing it absently against his forehead with a deep sigh.

His mother removed the glass and replaced it with a cool cloth. "You don't have to meet Hitomi's assistant today."

"I can do it."

"Don't overwork yourself, Naruto, or you'll never get healthy."

"I know." A spasm of coughs followed--the cough medicine had worn off finally--and he panicked momentarily when his throat became blocked. Forcing another cough cleared it, but he managed to alarm his parents. Waving at them, he said, "My throat got clogged. I'm going to go outside and try to get rid of it. Excuse me."

"Dress warmly!" his mother called after him.

"Hotaru," his father answered, "it's way above room temperature outside."

He did put on an extra shirt though, because he felt kind of cold. He could always remove it later, after all, and he eventually did so when he realized how hot it was outside. For the next two hours he sat above the Monument, coughing and hacking and spitting and otherwise having an unpleasant time that was offset by the pleasant view of the village. Even Kyuubi seemed to be enjoying the quiet time, if his silence was any indication.

"She's at the house."

"Okay." He spit one final time, then got to his feet and walked back toward the house with his father. "Is she nice?"

"I don't know. I haven't met her, really. But she must be or else she wouldn't be so good at what she does."

"Has anyone ever asked the kids she's watched?"

". . . No. Naruto, what is this? I thought you knew her."

He frowned and shook his head. He did not even know how _his_ Sakura behaved around children, so there was no way he could even base a _guess_ for _this_ Sakura.

"But . . . you _do_ remember speaking of her, right?"

Naruto looked up at the Fourth and took in his father's worried gaze. "Yes. Why?"

"It's . . . It's nothing. I just wanted to be sure your memory was okay."

"It's fine. I remember everything that's happened since I woke up."

"Good."

"I couldn't give you details, but . . ."

"Details don't matter."

"Dad, really . . . I'm okay."

His father sighed. "I'm sorry if I'm being clingy and overprotective, Naruto. I don't mean to, but you're my only son and I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Not necessarily," Naruto mused. "The baby might be a boy."

He had meant it lightly, but his father had not taken it that way. The Fourth grabbed his shoulders and spun him so they were facing each other. "That doesn't matter! It doesn't matter at all! Even if the baby _is_ a boy, you'll still be my firstborn! No one can replace you! _Ever_! Do you understand?!"

". . . Dad?"

"_Do you_?!"

_What's this about?_ "Yes! Yes, I understand!"

The Fourth calmed considerably and stroked his hair back as if _he_ was the one who had gotten upset. "Whether the baby's a boy or a girl, I don't want you to feel left out. But I can't read your mind, so if you ever need my attention, please, _please_ tell me and I'll make time for you. You're so big now, and so independent . . . sometimes I forget you're still so young and that there might be points where you need me. So speak up, okay? Promise?"

Naruto looked at him sideways. _There's something behind this--there has to be._ "Okay, Dad. I promise."

His father was immensely relieved. "Good. Thank you. Now, Haruno-san is waiting for us, so we better hurry up before your mother comes out and drags us inside."

Sakura's forehead was still big, but that was the only familiar thing about her. She had put on some light make-up to accentuate her features--it was light, but it was much more than he remembered her ever wearing back home; despite being so infatuated with Sasuke, she had been sensible enough to realize a lot of make-up would only run that much more obviously when she started to sweat or when it rained--and was wearing a nice blouse and a skirt that bore her clan symbol. Her hair was long and two locks framed her face like usual, but the rest of it had been drawn up into an elaborate system of braids. She was disturbingly polite--even back home, it had been clear when she was being polite because she could and when she was being polite because she had to--and answered all questions with quiet respect.

Not that he knew any of that, because he fell asleep not long after sitting down.

Arashi felt the dead weight against his arm and turned his head to look at his son. Sure enough, Naruto's sickness had caught up to him and the boy was now slumped heavily against him, breathing the breaths of someone with moderate chest congestion.

"I'm so sorry," Hotaru apologized to Sakura. "Naruto's had a cold for the past few days and I told him to go back to bed, but he wanted to meet you."

"It's all right," Sakura answered. "If he has any questions for me, I'd be happy to answer them whenever he's available."

"I'll put him to bed," Arashi announced. "Go on without me--I'll be back soon."

When he returned, he could not get Naruto's concern about how she treated children out of his mind. He had spoken as if he had been involved in a situation like that before, even though it was impossible; there would have been behavior changes in both him and Nyoko if that were true, but there had been nothing like that in either while Hitomi watched them. Still, Arashi questioned Sakura--gently, of course--about how she viewed children. When she answered, her posture was open and completely non-defensive and her voice was confident. There was no sign that she had the potential for abuse, which he had expected if she had been babysitting ninja kids and none of their parents had mentioned behavior changes.

He was satisfied, though he got the feeling Naruto would not be.

* * *

Or maybe he would be.

Arashi tilted his head thoughtfully, watching as Naruto chatted airily with Sakura, who was carrying Nyoko. Nyoko and Sakura had hit it off right away and Naruto had been there to see it, so he was apparently satisfied. He had then fit himself in with them by gifting Sakura with a handful of her favorite flowers--not that Arashi was able to identify flowers unless they had some kind of medical use or could be used as a poison--that he had hand-picked from the forest. She had been completely flattered and blushed in response, but Naruto, who had never even had a play girlfriend before--girls had cooties, after all, and a few years later they were just annoying with their high-pitched voices--had apparently done it because he could and not because he had anything planned.

"Don't smile like that, you pervert," Hotaru hissed at him from where she walked at his side. "Maybe you can't tell, but Sakura isn't interested and he's well aware of that."

"I'd like to know how," he replied quietly. "It's not like he's had experience with girls."

"Maybe you actually _do_ have that charm you always claim to possess and he inherited the sensible parts."

"_No one_ is that smooth by nature. Especially not pre-pubescent twelve-year-old boys."

"Maybe it was luck?"

He nodded, but somehow, he doubted that was it. Naruto was not acting twelve--he was acting _twenty_. Ever since he had awakened from his accident he had been that way; more mature and more aware of how his presence affected those who were around him. It was almost as if he was used to switching from being an absolutely obnoxious center of attention to being visible but otherwise out of mind in an instant, like any well-trained ninja. As if nearly failing the academy and then more or less ignoring the Third's private instruction had not happened.

"Arashi?"

He blinked and looked at Hotaru. "Yes?"

"You aren't doubting him again, are you?"

He sighed slightly and looked away to Naruto, who was now entertaining both Nyoko and Sakura with exaggerated expressions. ". . . I don't know. I don't think so, but . . . Something _is_ a lot different about him, Hotaru. The simplest explanation is that he's a fake, but I was never very convinced by that argument because of all the little nuances he had that someone trying to mimic him would never have been able to pick up on without being around him every day." He turned to her again. "The only thing I can come up with, aside from amnesia, is that what happened to him was so traumatic that his subconscious created a second personality to deal with the world while his consciousness retreated."

She frowned worriedly. "You mean an id?"

"Yes. But neither that nor the amnesia would explain why he knows some people so well and doesn't know others at all or why he sometimes gets their background information so mixed up. I mean . . . Sakura, a _ninja_? Her family has never had so much as a _history_ of being ninja. Ino's father is a ninja, but that's as close as either girl comes to being one."

"Well, if a knock on the head did this to him, would another knock on the head fix it?"

It was a ridiculously simple answer and one he had considered often. "Potentially."

"I'd rather not hurt him at all, but I certainly don't want to if it's not sure to work."

He snorted and smiled lopsidedly at her before sobering. "I'm just really worried about him, Hotaru. He doesn't seem particularly bothered by his slips as far as them being incorrect memory goes; he seems more worried about what everyone will think of you and Nyoko and me as a result of his outbursts. That doesn't fit the typical ninja-replacement formula at all, which is usually to lie as low as possible and not draw attention, but drawing attention is something that he does constantly."

"Maybe he's a diversion?"

"For whom from what? Concerned as I am about him, it's not entirely keeping me from my work. All the administration processes are going on as usual, few outside people have come in since he got here and aside from these Rain-nin who keep popping up, even fewer outside ninja have visited. The intelligence I'm getting from our spies isn't reporting any odd behavior in the other villages. It's actually been a little _too_ quiet since he woke."

"And that doesn't mean anything?"

"I've received several communiqués from the other Kage and they've noticed the same thing. It's weirding them out more than it is me because they're all doom-mongers--think it's the calm before the storm, as it were." He shrugged. "And well, maybe it is. That it seems to start with Naruto's waking could be a complete coincidence."

"But you don't think so." He did not answer and she frowned again. "Arashi . . ."

". . . No."

"Do you . . . have any idea at all?"

He shook his head. "I wish I did. I wish I had even a single clue, but . . ."

There was a shout and then an explosion took out a small shed down the street. He turned sharply, tucking Hotaru's head beneath his as he positioned them so that his back was to the blast area. He felt the flat of a board strike him in the back and split in half--the shed was apparently on the downslide anyway, but to blow it up . . .?

Civilians were rushing back and forth wildly and ninja from all over the village--some in uniform, some off duty and in casual clothes--were using water jutsu to put out the fires that had started, which was a simple task when the people in the surrounding buildings had opened their windows and the closest taps for the shinobi to draw running water from. Things were all under control and settling down that quickly.

That is, until he realized that he and Hotaru were alone. He searched around frantically for orange clothes and cherry blossom-pink hair. The street was empty. _The children . . ._ "Naruto?! Sakura?!"

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

I have nothing to say here for this chapter. GASP! Well, I _can_ say: "LOOK! IT'S SAKURA! _THERE SHE IS_!"

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	18. Bravery

**Author's Notes:** Chapter eighteen! Another someone gets introduced!

To **random viewer**: I didn't get to your review before I posted chapter seventeen, but canon!Naruto is seventeen and parallel!Naruto is twelve.

To **Lost my name along the way**: It didn't sound like a flame to me, particularly since you seem to be _enjoying_ the fic (in which case, it's technically not my fault whether you like it or hate it). As for torturing my readers, my delight is proportionate to how much they protest my 'cruelty', but only because they bring it up. Otherwise, it honestly wouldn't even cross my mind.

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 2,890

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 2/28/07

**Disclaimer:** Urgh.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Eighteen - Bravery

* * *

Hotaru coughed. "Where are the kids?"

He pressed her face into the inside of the collar of his vest. "Don't breathe in the dust."

"Where are the kids?" she repeated.

"I don't know. I can't see them." He looked around again. "_Naruto_! _Sakura_!"

Hotaru fished around in her pockets, covering her nose and mouth with the handkerchief she found there and freeing him. "Go find them!"

He left her cautiously--the civilians were not exactly watching where they were going and he did not want her to get knocked over and trampled--but as he stepped away she slipped into the doorway of a nearby shop, keeping herself out of the panic. Thankful for her presence of mind, despite that Naruto and Nyoko were both missing, he went on more quickly and swept his gaze all around.

A moment later, he was aware of a muffled crying coming from the rubble that had been the shack. It could have been Nyoko, but being so muted he could not tell for sure. Even so, the sobs flicked on every paternal instinct he possessed and reduced his thought processes to three clear words: _Find crying baby_. It developed into a strange sort of chant as he moved about in the wreckage, turning his head to pinpoint the location of the sounds.

Finally, he leaned in over the section the cries seemed to be coming from. "Nyoko?"

"_Daddy_!" came the terrified wail.

There was _one_ child, anyway, so the other two had to be close. "It's okay, sweetie, I'm here. Sakura? Naruto? Answer me!"

A groan was the reply, followed by a weak cough and a tentative, "Hokage-sama?"

"Sakura! Are you and Nyoko all right?"

She coughed again. "I hit my head . . . Nyoko . . ." Another cough. ". . . Nyoko-sama has a few scratches, I think. There isn't enough light to be sure."

"Is Naruto with you?"

". . . Yes." There was a pause and yet another quiet cough. "I don't think he's conscious, though. He's bleeding a little."

"Okay, hold still." He examined the pattern of collapse, then looked at the ninja who had come to help. "Obito! Aren't you supposed to be on patrol?"

His student glanced around for him, then hurried over to where he was and crouched next to him. "This is my district, sensei, but it's not yours."

"Hotaru and I were taking the kids for a check-up. They got trapped. I need your help."

"Just say the word."

"I'm going to lift this up and I want you to go in and pull the kids out. Sakura says that Naruto's unconscious, so he won't be moving."

"Okay." Obito shifted the position of his crouch, ready to dive in the instant there was enough room. "I'm ready."

Arashi felt around for the best grips and in the process discovered they had been joined by three more ninja; two helping him to lift and one to help Obito. "Now!" he shouted, and picked up the beam in front of him. It was a lot lighter than he had expected, whether because he had help or because of the adrenalin he did not know. Obito and the other ninja slipped beneath as soon as there was enough room and crawled out seconds later with all three children. He set the beam down, thanked the two who had helped him, and went to check on the kids.

"Somebody get Hotaru!" He knelt in front of Sakura, who was holding Nyoko too tightly to be pried away as she lay in the off-duty shinobi's arms. "Sakura?"

"Daddy!" Nyoko sobbed, wiggling free of Sakura's death grip so that she could reach out to him.

He drew her into his arms, checked her over to be sure she was not seriously hurt, then returned his attention to her caretaker. "Sakura? How do you feel?"

Sakura grimaced. "Do you even have to ask, Hokage-sama?"

"I mean, are you hurt besides your head?"

". . . No. My ankle hurts a little, but I think it's just twisted."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"All right. Just relax for now."

"Arashi?"

He got to his feet as he turned and passed a whimpering Nyoko to Hotaru as he moved away. "Take her and stay with Sakura. I have to check on Naruto."

"But Arashi . . ."

Obito looked frightened as he approached. "Sensei, he's bleeding."

Arashi felt a lump form in his throat. Whenever ninja said 'bleeding', it was never in the context used by civilians. Civilians used 'bleeding' to describe something as tiny as a paper cut, but ninja used 'bleeding' to describe serious injury, usually internal. He knelt and opened his son's jacket, then tore his shirt in half to look for bruising. Everything looked all right, but he did not plan to take things at face-value. He quickly performed a series of seals and then closed his eyes as he placed his hands on Naruto's body, searching for any irregularities in his chakra paths that would indicate internal injuries.

There were none, which did not explain why Naruto was bleeding from both the nose and the mouth. He could have hit the street at just the right angle to cause a nosebleed, but his mouth was not so easy to justify. He moved up slowly until he had reached the boy's face and felt his own face relax in a smile. "He bit his cheek, that's all." Naruto also had a concussion--one that seemed rather severe. He would probably have to throw up as soon as he regained consciousness. "Here, I'll take him." _Better that he throw up on me than on you. My clothes and I remember his spit-up instances **quite** clearly even if it's been nearly twelve years since the last one._

Even the good news did not make that part any easier, though. When awake, the human body was rigid because of the number of muscles that were being used at any given point. When sleeping, the human body maintained a portion of that rigidity through self-induced paralysis to prevent excess motion during REM sleep. When unconscious or freshly dead, however, the body was in no stage of rigidity and was thus completely limp. Arashi had held the bodies of many dead friends and as a result had developed a distinct dislike for that limpness. Even knowing that Naruto was not in too much danger of dying did not ease the sick feeling rising inside him.

"What are _you_ people doing here?" Obito snapped, and Arashi was quickly aware of the aggression radiating from the shinobi around him. He lifted his gaze to find two clerics standing just outside of Obito's strike range and though he could not see their faces, he had the distinct impression that they were looking at Naruto. He drew his feet up into an awkward splay-legged position that was uncomfortable and minimally effective for battle, but would help put some distance between him and them if they did anything he did not like.

The clerics began to move forward slowly--as if wishing to avoid inciting an attack--and the surrounding ninja, Arashi included, bristled in warning. He was not concerned about anyone attacking anyone else, mainly because the ninja would not attack unless _he_ attacked or unless he suddenly vacated the area. The clerics themselves seemed to be far more curious as to the state of Naruto's health than taking him away and if that were so then Arashi could not justify attacking them to whatever sect they answered to. Yet the closer that they came to him, the more he curled around Naruto's still form and snarled silently. _I might not be able to validate attacking, but I can sure as hell be pretty damn unpleasant about it._

One extended a hand as if to touch Naruto, but Arashi was not about to let that go. He had been patient and accommodating, but them actually _touching_ Naruto was something he would not allow and he moved his own hand to intercept the contact.

"_Never_ . . ." he hissed warningly.

They looked like they might insist, but at that moment Naruto's body grew taut and he let out a pained groan. He blinked open his eyes, but only briefly. His pupils were dilated--definitely a strong concussion--and made his eyes water. "Ow! Damn, that's bright . . . Dad?"

Arashi was too busy glaring at the clerics to answer, but as Naruto began to move the hooded strangers seemed to be satisfied and backed away, vanishing as they went. There was no smoke or noise, just a slow and silent fade-out to nothing. When he decided they were gone, he turned his attention to his son. "Naruto? Are you okay?"

He swallowed twice. "My head hurts."

"Do you feel sick?"

". . . No."

Arashi tilted his head. "No?" _That's weird._

"Do you want me to be?"

Well, that proved that pre-coma Naruto, who would never have said anything like that, had not resurfaced like Hotaru had postulated. "Not unless _you_ want to."

It was strange to be able to joke so easily with him. Before he had been attacked--before Nyoko even--Naruto had looked like Arashi but had Hotaru's no-nonsense mentality. Joking had not really been beyond him, but it was something he had not done on a regular basis and certainly not when he was not in the best possible mood for it. This Naruto, however, might as well have been Arashi when he was that age. Always ready to have fun and somehow always knowing, no matter how serious Arashi was trying to be, when he was joking or when he needed a joke to lighten his mood.

"Here," Obito said, offering him a wet cloth.

"Thanks." He set about cleaning the blood from Naruto's face, but instead of fidgeting and being embarrassed, Naruto just curled his arms up like a submissive pet turned on its back and let out a long breath coupled with a pained groan. ". . . Naruto?"

"Sorry," he responded. "Disaster follows me everywhere."

_That's a strange thing to say._ "It doesn't matter. Are you hurt aside from your head?"

"Mm . . . No."

He was glad to hear it--it could have been far worse. "Is there anyone else in there?"

"I don't think so," a civilian answered from her window. "I saw the whole thing and on this side of the building your three were the only ones around, Hokage-sama."

He nodded. "Thank you." Raising his voice, he called, "Someone go through the rest of this and make sure no one else is caught!" He received several affirmatives and a small team of ninja descended on the shack's remains. Watching them work, he asked distantly, "How did this happen, anyway?"

Obito pointed. "I think they did it."

He turned to find Kakashi leaning heavily between a pair of stiff-backed teenage boys, an arm flung casually around each one's shoulders. He stood up quickly, regretting it when Naruto staggered to keep his feet after being so abruptly righted. He pinned Naruto against him, pained that the younger blond's sense of balance had been affected as well. Once Naruto was standing still, he guided him carefully to Obito.

"You stay with Obito, Naruto."

"Obito?" was the soft and considerably confused echo. Arashi stayed close at first, as he could tell by his son's tone that Naruto did not know Obito any more than he had known Rin and forcing him to stay with Obito might not be a good idea while his sight and balance were so off their norm. Blocking the direct sunlight, Naruto squinted up at Arashi's old student and tilted his head. ". . . You don't look much like Sasuke."

Amused, Obito replied, "That's because Sasuke looks like his mother and I'm not very closely related to her."

Naruto considered that, then nodded. "Okay."

"I'll be right back," Arashi promised, patting Naruto's head very gently before turning his attention to the pair Kakashi 'held'.

"Thought they'd be able to get away with playing with fire," Kakashi informed him as he approached. "Found them gasping like dying fish around the corner; apparently scared the piss out of themselves."

Arashi glared at the boys, then sneered. "Kill them."

The boys' eyes went wide in utter terror and they started to shake when Kakashi blurted in cheerful disbelief, "Really?! You mean I can?! Wow, tha---!" He had to stumble to regain his balance because his supports had both fainted dead away. He stared down at them, then poked each of them with the toe of a sandal and griped, "Well damn. I hadn't even gotten to the good part. What sissies." He looked at Arashi. "So what do you want done with them?"

"Lock them up and find out just what the hell they thought they were doing playing with gunpowder. Scare them all you want."

Kakashi grinned widely. "Oh, sensei, you really _do_ love me! Hey, Obito! Wanna play?"

"As if I'd ever say no!" Obito confirmed. "Go on, I'll meet you there with supplies!"

Kakashi collected a boy under each arm. "Let's do the cannibal trick this time!"

"Sounds good!"

Kakashi vanished and Arashi went to reclaim Naruto, who seemed to accept Obito under the simple principle that Obito was related, even if only distantly, to Sasuke. It was weird logic, but if some kind of relation was how he defined allies from enemies, then that was how it was going to be. Of course, there was the potential for that to backfire fantastically, but for the time being it would suffice.

"Okay, Obito, I'll take him. Thanks."

Naruto reached out blindly and without thinking Arashi placed himself against his son's hand. Instantly, Naruto's grip tightened up on his vest and the smaller blond sidled slowly away from Obito, who vanished.

"Feeling any better, kid?"

"A little." Naruto lifted his free hand to shade his eyes and blinked them open. After a few minutes of squinting, he seemed to be fine. "My head still hurts."

"Well," he said as they walked to where Hotaru waited, "that's what happens when you contact something so hard your brain sloshes in your skull."

Sakura hugged Naruto as soon as he was within her grasping range. "Oh, Naruto-sama! Thank you!"

Bewildered, Naruto asked, "For what?"

"For protecting me! I realize you were probably doing it more for Nyoko-sama, but . . ."

Naruto returned her hug gently. "Don't be silly. You're . . . Well, I couldn't let someone as nice as you die, even if my sister hadn't been there."

"All right," Hotaru put in impatiently. "We _really_ have to go to the hospital now." She noticed Arashi out of the corner of her eye and snapped, "And exactly what are _you_ grinning at, you old lecher?"

"We'll talk about it tonight," he answered with a snicker. "Come on, Sakura-san! We must be on our way!"

"Hokage-sama?!" she cried in surprise as he swept her into his arms.

"You can walk, can't you, Naruto?"

"Of course!" the boy answered, and proved it by setting out with high, proud steps.

Not that it distracted him in the slightest from the fact that Naruto had recovered from a severe concussion with unnatural speed.

The kids' check-up went unusually smoothly; after the shed incident, Nyoko was too tired to put up much of a fight. Sakura was given a brace for her ankle and told to stay off it as much as possible. Naruto was treated for his concussion--which, oddly, turned out to be not so severe--and warned to avoid being rough since he had, essentially, injured his brain.

"Oh, Hokage-sama, I'd like to give your son a psychiatric evaluation."

"_What_?" he asked sharply. ". . . Rin told you to do it, didn't she?"

"Rin? . . . Oh, your med-nin student. No, she never contacted me. Not directly, anyway, and the doctor who suggested it was told by another doctor, but neither of us asked who that one had gotten the information from."

_It has to be Rin._ She had attempted to be roundabout, but he was not Hokage because he was an idiot. "No."

"Hokage-sama, with all due respect---"

"Then _respect_, damn it!" he shouted. "I said no!"

"Hokage-sama . . ."

"Arashi!" Hotaru barked. "What's the matter with you?! You're scaring Naruto!"

He glanced down. Naruto was standing slightly behind him, clutching at his coat, and not looking afraid as much as confused. He noted also that he had automatically backed both of them into the most easily-defensible corner of the room and smiled wryly.

Cornered animal indeed, but no one--_no one_--touched his babies when he did not allow it.

Naruto's fingers settled on his arm hesitantly. ". . . Dad?"

"Yes?"

"It's okay. I will, if they want."

"It's not that easy, Naruto. It's not just one session."

"Well we can at least try, right?"

_Talk about brave._ "Are you sure?" Naruto nodded hesitantly. ". . . All right."

The doctor called a nurse to come in to take Naruto to some other room and Hotaru had to keep him from following. After a few minutes, her concern seemed to get the better of her as well and she questioned, "Is there somewhere we can watch this?"

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

I imagine that Naruto was such a greedy nursling that he would have spit up _every time_.

---

Concussions are brain bruises, essentially, because your whole brain has slammed about forcefully inside your skull. When you have a particularly bad concussion it can impair your vision, including making it difficult or impossible for your pupils to contract in response to light stimuli. Thus, you squint to reduce the amount of light your eyes are taking in so you're not blinded.

---

Obito looks more like Mikoto than Fugaku, but I still don't think they're that closely related.

---

I'm still not quite sure what the cannibal trick actually _is_, though it obviously has to do with cannibals.

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Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	19. Stress

**Author's Notes:** Chapter nineteen! Poor Naruto . . .

To **A-Man**: The chapters aren't getting shorter, but more is happening--and happening faster--in them, so that probably makes it seem that way.

To **CrossoverJunkie**: I tried to respond to your review twice, but it bounced both times. Sorry.

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 2,840

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 3/3/07

**Disclaimer:** Blargh.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Nineteen - Stress

* * *

"How can you just let this happen?" he demanded as they were shown to a room with a closed-circuit television.

"Because I want him to get better," she replied. "I don't understand how you can go on with him the way he is."

"Except that when it comes down to it, there's nothing wrong with him!" he insisted frantically as he sat down. "He's healthy and happy--isn't that enough?!"

"How do you know he's happy?" she asked, turning on the television. "Simply because he's smiling? You think I don't know that you smile for me even when something's bothering you? I don't see why he wouldn't have inherited that little quirk, considering the vast number of other things he got from you." When he did not answer, she turned to look at him, then shot a look to the opposite end of the room. The door opened and shut and he was aware she had shooed Sakura and Nyoko out without speaking. "Arashi?"

He said nothing and did not even look at her, so--of course--she came to where he was and fought him for control of his head until he finally gave up and looked at her. "Arashi? Do you prefer him this way?"

"No."

She frowned at him, then sighed and stroked his hair back. "He does _seem_ happier now, anyway--we'll just say that," she conceded. "And him not knowing anything means that we can start over and make sure we don't make the same mistake twice. But . . . are we protecting him or ourselves?"

He hated that forced teaming with a passion, but it did make it much easier to talk about it when she implied that she had some fault in the situation herself, whether or not she actually did. "Him, of co---"

"No. Think about it for a minute."

"I don't want to."

"So it's not for him. Not entirely."

"I'm . . . afraid . . ."

"There's nothing wrong with that."

". . . But I don't want him to hate me again," he murmured. "I _like_ talking to him. I _like_ joking with him. I _like_ how he can balance teasing with responsibility." He paused to swallow his tears. "I _like_ how he's taken care of Shinju. I like him _wanting_ to spend time with Nyoko. I like him _wanting_ to be with me. I like . . ." He closed his eyes. "I like that he and I can admire one another in a way that's not competitive."

"Arashi, he might hate us more if we _don't_ tell him and he finds out himself."

"I know, I _know_! I . . . I just . . ."

She was quiet for a while, then said, "The weather's been really nice recently, hasn't it?"

Since his head was immobilized, the only way he could see her was if he raised his eyes to look up at her. ". . . I suppose so."

"There'll probably be a bit of bad weather soon, don't you think?"

She was definitely leading him somewhere. ". . . Perhaps."

"It's a shame, really, because we'd rather have the good weather stay year-round, yes?"

". . . Yes."

"And it seems the longer the weather stays nice, the worse the weather is later?"

". . . Sometimes."

"But there's no way to tell that with a simple forecast, is there? Like with all predictions, there's always the chance that bad weather either won't be so bad or won't come at all. Weather is so unpredictable, though, that there's really no way to calculate what's going to happen on a given day until that day has passed."

He frowned deeply. "Naruto is not a weather pattern."

"Arashi, that's not the point. You can be afraid of his reaction to the truth all you like, but you'll never know how he'd actually take it until you tell him. And if you're that afraid of what he'll say, _I'll_ tell him."

"No. I will. I just . . . need to think."

"You mean put it off."

"_No_."

"Well, if you're that worried about it, don't tell him until after Nyoko's birthday. Since there isn't a sure reaction to count on, he can enjoy it before you explain things."

That was good. It would give him time to prepare. "Okay."

She looked over at the television. "It's about time! What were they doing, anyway?"

He sat up and turned to the television, which was showing Naruto entering a room that did not look as though it belonged in a hospital with a few orderlies and med-nin as well as a doctor who was in a suit and tie. He looked at their faces, but only recognized the med-nin, who he barely knew himself. "Does he know we're watching?"

"I doubt it."

"He doesn't know them. He'll get scared."

"I doubt that, too. Look."

Sure enough, Naruto was looking around the room with an assessing gaze, as if gauging its usefulness for a stand-off. He was invited to sit down in a large, overstuffed chair and did so without a hint of nervousness. "Is this place supposed to be relaxing?"

"Most patients find it so," the doctor replied.

"Well I think the décor sucks," Naruto informed him pointedly. "It looks like a really sad attempt at making a hospital look friendly."

"And what would you suggest, Naruto-sama?"

"An outdoor setting. I prefer trees."

"I'll look into that for our next session."

"Are you so sure there'll be one?"

"A psychiatric evaluation is performed in a series of stages that would be far too frustrating and time-consuming if they were done consecutively. Now, if we may begin . . .?"

"You want to get it over with already? I thought you people charged by the hour. Or are you afraid Dad'll come after you if you keep me too long?"

"If I recall, Naruto-sama, _you_ agreed to have this done. I thought it best to be expeditious, that's all."

"I only agreed to this because it'll make Mom and Dad feel better if they have some kind of assurance beyond my own words, whether they're being told I'll be fine or that I'll never get better. And hey, if you can fix me then who am I to say no? As for being _expeditious_, don't make me laugh. You don't care about time other than the fact that it's money to you."

"Please don't make such callous generalizations, Naruto-sama. Not all doctors are in it for the money."

"Hmph. I didn't know doctors like that existed."

"And what _do_ you think of doctors?"

"They're human. As such, they're subject to everything other humans are. Desire, bias, fear, hatred . . ." In a lecturing tone, Naruto asked, "Have you ever been feared and hated for something that you didn't have a choice in? Did anything ever happen to you when you were born that made people throw garbage at you and turn their children on you so that you never had any friends? Have you had to live with that for your whole life? Suffering in silence when teacher's aides 'disciplined' you for _existing_, when people you'd never seen before followed you on your walks at night waiting for you to lower your guard just for a moment so they could beat you, when doctors consistently refused to treat you because you're 'that boy'?"

The doctor was scribbling furiously on his notepad. "No, I haven't."

Naruto scowled and smacked himself hard in the head with the heel of his hand. "Urgh! Why the fuck did I even open my stupid fat mouth? Of course not. Only one other person has experienced something similar." He paused and mused softly, "But probably not here . . ."

"And who is this person?"

Naruto tilted his head and narrowed his eyes, as if contemplating whether or not it was all right to tell after everything else he had just said. "Gaara."

Arashi tried to temper his surprised intake of breath, but Hotaru noticed. "What?"

"Gaara . . . Gaara is the younger son of the Kazekage. He's a very bright, friendly, well-behaved boy about Naruto's age and I think they'd get along, but . . . they've never met before. I don't think I've even mentioned his name to Naruto."

"Mm-hm," the doctor said distantly. "Now . . . why don't you tell me some more about your childhood?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because it's in the past and there's no point in digging it up unless it has relevance to the situation, which it doesn't."

"How can you be sure?"

"My childhood has absolutely nothing to do with why I have no memory--that's already been established. If you're so interested in being expeditious, you'll move on to something that pertains to the subject at hand."

"Very well. I'd like to perform a physical exam."

"Didn't I just participate in one of those?"

"This kind of exam requires you to lie still and allow an internal examination."

Naruto looked around at the med-nin and said flatly, "Oh, joy. And what does this have to do with my head?"

"Sometimes, inconsistencies in the body can be linked to inadequacies in the mind."

"That sounds like a load of shit." Despite saying so, Naruto was obediently pulling off his jacket and shirt and reclining along the back of his chair. "Come on," he called to the med-nin, who were moving in cautiously, "I don't bite." He suddenly snorted and added with dark amusement, "Yes, I don't bite _usually_. Sorry."

The med-nin began to examine him slowly, relaxing as he did not move to hinder their progress or be otherwise aggressive toward them. Then, abruptly, he grabbed a hand that had been about to pass over his stomach. "No." The med-nin looked at one another, as if wondering whether or not to challenge him, but he bared his teeth and hissed, "_No_!"

"It's all right," the doctor said, diffusing the situation. "Forcing him won't get answers."

The med-nin backed away, but did not seem satisfied with the ruling. Naruto pulled his shirt and jacket back on and took up a frog-like perch on the back of his chair. "Sorry about that. I don't like it when people play with my stomach."

"I understand. Maybe we can try again later."

Naruto sneered lightly. "Maybe. Anything else?"

"Have you had any sensations of _déjà vu_ since you awakened?"

Naruto's face flickered to wry amusement for the briefest moment before smoothing his features again. "Nope. Can't say I have."

"Would you allow me to try hypnotism?"

"Sure you can _try_. But nobody's ever managed it."

"Why not?"

Naruto shrugged. "Dunno. I suppose my attention span's not long enough to stay focused for the necessary length of time."

The doctor tried for fifteen minutes to subject him to hypnosis, but even though Naruto was being completely cooperative, no progress was made. "Thank you for your patience, Naruto-sama," the doctor sighed. "Do you feel like finishing the physical examination?"

"Not at all. And I doubt I'll ever feel like it. Sorry."

Seconds later, Naruto lunged from the back of his chair, over the doctor's table, and slammed one of the orderlies against the wall. "_I heard that, you bastard_!" he shouted. "And it's people like _you_ who make his sacrifice _meaningless_! I was _supposed_ to be a _hero_, you prick! Forget about what that means to _me_, that was _his_ wish! But to _you_ people I'm not worthy of being the ground you walk on! How is that fair to him--how can you _possibly_ honor him with a clear conscience every year--when he made the ultimate sacrifice just so you cowards could keep living?! _HUH_?! _TELL ME_!"

The other orderly and the two med-nin grabbed Naruto and pulled him away, but he still managed a well-aimed kick at the focus of his anger. "Don't you _ever_ open your fucking mouth about my father again, _do you hear me_?! You'll never be _half_ the man he was, even if you live for a thousand years! And if I _am_ a brat, it's not anything _he_ did! I can take credit for being an ass all by myself, thanks!"

The doctor sighed again. "Well, I guess this wraps up today's session."

"Screw today!" Naruto barked sharply. "It wraps up _everything_! I'm not going to pay to hear some _shithead_ act like my dad isn't letting him live the best years of his life in Konoha! You better feel lucky _I'm_ not the one deciding who stays and who goes, jerk-off, or you'd be out of here with just the clothes on your back!"

The doctor sent the remaining orderly to retrieve Arashi and Hotaru and then went on to fail grandly at soothing Naruto, who only grew angrier at the placation. Hotaru turned off the television and demanded, "Where did he get those words?!"

_Is that all she's worried about?_ "Does it matter as long as he doesn't use them in polite company?" he replied faintly, more confused than ever and not just a little afraid. "His language is the last thing I'm concerned about."

The orderly appeared in the doorway, panting from his run. "Hokage-sama, your son is . . . very upset."

"What did you _say_?" Arashi asked, unable to imagine what could have been so terrible that Naruto would react so violently.

The orderly blushed in acute shame and bowed his head, admitting, "I only said that you spoiled him, Hokage-sama."

Arashi considered that. "Well, I _do_ . . . a little. Especially since Nyoko was born, but . . . he's usually much more well-behaved than that . . ." He raised his voice. "Hey, is there any way I can get a copy of that session?"

"Er . . ." was the startled reply. "Yes sir."

"Great. Can you do that for me?"

"Certainly, sir."

"Thanks a lot. Come on, Hotaru, before he hurts someone."

They collected Sakura and Nyoko on the way down, but Arashi had them and Hotaru wait outside the door. "Hey hey, wait!" Hotaru protested. "Why do _I_ have to stay?"

Arashi gestured at the door, from behind which came horrific noises of destruction. "If he's attacking indiscriminately, you don't have the speed to evade him. Besides . . ." He touched his fingers to the slight bulge of her stomach. "You're supposed to be taking it easy." She made a face at him and crossed her arms, but he smiled because he knew it was her rebellious sign of reluctant submission. "Maybe next time, okay?"

"Gods no. _Please_."

He stepped cautiously into the room and stared blankly at the remains of everything that had once been free-standing in the room; oddly, the only things that had _not_ been touched were the books on the shelves. The doctor was hiding under the smashed remains of his table and the med-nin both looked as though they had been attacked by a rabid wildcat. In the corner that was directly opposite them huddled Naruto, who rocked back and forth quickly and looked every bit a pathetic orange ball of misery.

"Are you two all right?" The med-nin were wide-eyed with shock, but at his question nodded and slowly set about healing each other. He went to the corner and placed a gentle hand on his son's hunched back. "Naruto?"

Naruto turned toward him at a snail's pace, shaking visibly. He looked as if he had been crying. ". . . Dad?"

"Naruto, what . . . what happened?"

"I don't want anything to happen to you," he whimpered. "I want you to live forever."

". . . Naruto?"

"Never ever . . ."

He began to sob quietly into his knees and Arashi drew him near to comfort him, hugging him and stroking his hair and kissing his head warmly. "Come on, Little Fox, don't cry so . . . Shh . . . Oh, Naruto, I'm sorry . . . Let's just get out of here . . ."

The instant they got home, after Sakura had been returned to hers, Naruto retreated to his bedroom. He did not shun visitors and _did_ come out for supper, but the smiles he provided for Nyoko were--as Hotaru had pointed out was possible--quite hollow. Nyoko could not see it, but everyone else could, though they tried to ignore it for his sake.

After supper, Naruto went up onto the roof with the guards. Arashi let him be for a few hours, then went to check on him. The ANBU were at the far end of the roof, apparently keeping watch there while Naruto kept an eye on the other end by himself.

"Mind if I join you?"

Naruto, lying down on the rounded tiles on his stomach, shrugged awkwardly. Arashi sat next to him, but did not say any more or move to offer comfort. Sure enough, after a few minutes Naruto rested his head against Arashi's leg and Arashi put a hand on Naruto's head.

That, he decided, was all the comfort either of them needed.

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

Keep in mind that Naruto has never had an evaluation before. Or if so, not of that type. He didn't know he was being watched by anyone outside of the room. Top that off with his tendency to blurt things about his world when he's startled or angry . . .

---

Based on kitsune seduction techniques, as demonstrated by the triplets in chapter fifteen, I have assumed that kitsune possess a resistance to hypnotism and that it's another trait Naruto has absorbed from Kyuubi. Not that genjutsu _wouldn't_ affect him, because it does, but such a spellweaver who was even _slightly_ sloppy would probably find that the genjutsu hadn't fooled him at all.

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	20. Inheritances

**Author's Notes:** Chapter twenty! Kind of slow. More about the baby, and more about Arashi and Hotaru.

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 3,284

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 3/7/07

**Disclaimer:** Duh.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Twenty - Inheritances

* * *

After about two days--Arashi had allowed him to resume his duties as a shinobi because he asked and because it was something more or less normal for him to turn to--Naruto seemed to recover from the psychiatric evaluation disaster and returned to being his usual happily-excitable self. Arashi was glad to see him that way. Whether it was a parent wanting to see his child happy he did not know, but depression did not fit Naruto very well.

In the meantime, Arashi found ways to watch the tape of the session-from-hell repeatedly. _Naruto's behavior changed so vastly while we were separated . . . Was it a defensive technique? Be tough to hide fear?_

It had not seemed that way. He had been too comfortable in the role for it to have been purely defensive. It was almost as if that was the behavior he used to deal with a certain group of people, whom he apparently decided the people in the room with him had been a part of.

Next to that was Naruto's defensiveness of his stomach. Arashi noted it because he had seen Naruto act a bit less aggressively about it when Rin had tried to examine him. Since seeing the session again, Arashi had attempted several times to casually touch Naruto's stomach, when the boy's shirt was on and off, and succeeded with laughable ease because Naruto made no effort to thwart him. Perhaps he was doing something wrong or maybe it was Naruto's weird dislike of medical personnel. It could also simply be a matter of trust; it really was not unusual for ninja to be very protective of their throat and stomach, but Naruto did not seem particularly worried about his throat in comparison to his stomach.

The last thing was the most disturbing--what Naruto had been screaming about at the end of the session. What he had said . . . It was almost as if he was implying Arashi had or would die, that Naruto had played an equally big part in this unknown scenario, and that neither himself nor Naruto were fully appreciated for what they had done. After that first night of self-imposed exile, Naruto had been a little clingier than usual, but that had eased off as time passed. What had the boy seen that made him say that? Had he had visions during his coma and had simply decided to not mention them? Had he been trying to garner sympathy or simply confuse the others with a terrible joke for some reason?

Arashi doubted that it was a joke--Naruto had never made such unfunny jokes before and did not seem to appreciate them, either--but at the same time could not justify the desire for sympathy. Even more than before his coma, Naruto had no desire--much more a distaste, really--for pity or anything that would not push him farther ahead in his endeavors. Yet that left no definite reason for why he would make implications for such an elaborate-sounding story.

"Well, are you going to explain?" a voice right by his ear asked loudly.

He twitched sharply, spraying papers from his desk in his surprise.

"What, you mean I snuck up on you finally the one time that I wasn't even trying?"

"_Not_ sneaking up on a ninja is the best way to do so," he replied distantly. "Ninja _expect_ someone to try to sneak up on them, so we're prepared for that. If you're trying to sneak up on us, you're better off approaching us normally."

"I'll remember that."

"Don't tell anyone I told you that--trick of the trade."

"I understand completely," she snickered.

"So what did you want?" he asked, leaving his chair to pick up the papers now lying on the floor. "Surely not just my wonderful company."

"I let it rest for a few days because you were commiserating with Naruto, but now he's better and I want you to explain why you were smiling like such a pervert when Sakura hugged Naruto and thanked him for saving her."

"Oh, that." He sat down again and she stood between him and the old desk, leaning back against it. It was her way of insisting on the entirety of his attention. "Well, you had said earlier that Sakura wasn't interested, but right then she sure looked interested to me."

"I thought it was White Knight Syndrome."

". . . You thought it was _what_?"

She began to absently pet her bulging stomach, a habit most pregnant women seemed to acquire and never really manage to get over. "White Knight Syndrome. You know how it is: girl is in trouble, girl is saved by boy, girl develops crush on boy, etcetera etcetera . . ."

"Oh. And you think it wouldn't last?"

"It could, but I don't think Naruto is any more interested than Sakura is. Or _was_."

"And what makes you say that?"

"Naruto is a Libra---"

"Oh boy . . ."

"_Listen_ to me, jerk!" she snapped, swinging at him half-heartedly and allowing him to dodge to safety. "Astrology isn't for morons!"

"I view it to be quite the contrary, actually, which is why you can't get me to understand it; the details and variations are too much for me. Go on."

She resumed stroking her growing stomach. "As I was saying, Naruto is a Libra. Libra is represented by the scales, meaning balance. So Naruto is always seeking to _find_ balance wherever he goes and if he _can't_ find it he tries to _make_ it. Taking that into account, in searching for a wife he would most likely pick a woman who was not afraid to always stand beside him. Worshipping is okay--we all like to be worshipped, after all--but he's probably looking for a woman who he can talk honestly to, like . . . like Hinata."

"I thought you said you wouldn't play favorites when he started bringing girls home."

"I'm _not_. I'm just using real life examples."

"Right."

"I can still whip you, pregnant or not."

"Yeah, I know. Go easy on the dumb blond, won't you?"

"There's nothing dumb about blonds or you wouldn't be here. _Anyway_, Hinata is a better choice than Sakura--_in my opinion_--because as a fellow ninja she can appreciate Naruto's skills. Even if she was the shiest creature on the planet, she'd still be able to give him the compliments he needs to boost his desire to be greater and he would learn to be quiet and patient with her to hear her ideas. They would draw off one another and _balance_ their behaviors out."

"Yes, but Hinata _isn't_ shy, so where does this come in?"

"It doesn't. That was just an example. Unlike Sakura, Hinata knows ninja things, so she could offer critiques to help him to refine his techniques. Naruto can and _would_ appreciate that, I think, more than he would blind worship or someone trying to lord over him."

"I guess I should start inviting her over more oft---_Ow_!"

"I _told_ you---!" She suddenly flinched and retreated, curling both of her arms around her stomach defensively.

He jumped to his feet, alarmed. "Hotaru?!"

She held up a hand to stop him. "No, don't panic. I'm okay." After several deep breaths, she said tightly, "It seems a unilateral decision was made that Daddy hasn't been paying enough attention to his baby."

"Are you sure that's all it is?"

"I've done this twice before, Arashi. Maybe it's me, but your children kick hard." Her next words, muttered in annoyance, caused him to smile. "Damn ninja babies."

"Sorry." He sat again as she uncurled and placed his hands on either side of the curve of the baby's presence, then rested the side of his head between them. From the tips of his fingers he created chakra extensions, with which he tickled the baby. The baby wiggled momentarily in what was either misery or delight, then tried to tickle back with its own barely-developed chakra. It was something he always found painfully endearing because while he had to monitor the amount of chakra he used to avoid injuring the involved parties, it was guaranteed that the baby was putting absolutely everything it had into 'answering' but could not so much as form a blip on someone's senses unless that person was _trying_ to sense it.

There was no official report on it, but it was generally accepted as fact that the reason so few ninja, skilled or mediocre, came from the families that had no history of ninja was merely a result of a lack of chakra stimulation. There were always exceptions of course--and some of those were fantastic examples of ninja--but most current ninja came from ninja bloodlines and usually had better chakra control than their non-ninja bloodline peers. It just seemed that a baby who had been in relatively regular contact with an outside chakra source while still in the womb had more developed chakra reserves as well as better chakra control than those who had not. It appeared to work, too, because despite being a slacker Naruto was extremely good with controlling his own chakra and had not had to work at it as much as Arashi--whose mother had not been a ninja and whose father had died not knowing he was a father--had.

It was not necessarily something that was done consciously--though he was doing so now, with Naruto it had been completely unintentional--but it was a quirk, undoubtedly a result of the intense danger of the work, that ninja were irrevocably _fascinated_ with the concept of life. They understood their own lives were instantly forfeit should the situation ever arise, so they turned to other living things to admire the carefree innocence of the ability to simply _live_. Some became gardeners in their spare time and others worked with abused or abandoned animals or orphaned children. Having been taught patience, most ninja had the capacity to do such things and appreciate the journey as much as the result.

Still, the biggest draw was pregnancy. It was impossible that there was a woman living in Konoha who had been or was currently pregnant and not been approached by at least ten ninja. Personal space was always respected, of course, but there were occasionally some who could not contain themselves and asked to touch. Chakra was usually not applied in instances involving a stranger, as it was considered to be an invasion of privacy, but again, some would ask and they were usually given permission in appreciation of the courtesy. That kind of attention was always subtly emphasized during festivals, because there were more pregnant women out and more ninja off duty at once, and it resulted in the shinobi villages having the highest concentrations of recruits to draw from in their countries.

The main angle of the fascination, however, was centered around the contact with the life. It was heartening to be able to 'touch' a baby and get a response and while Arashi could hardly vouch for anyone else, it was very easing to his conscience; to know that even though ninja killed, it was not unforgiven by everyone. He expected his students would be coming around to 'visit him' more frequently and he would have to invite the guards in for tea a few times--they were, predictably, taking the assignment of protecting Hotaru and Nyoko with unusual seriousness and a lack of protest even though they were supposed to be protecting _him_. He was sure Hotaru would allow all of them to 'play' with the baby and for the guards, anyway, it would likely be as good as their week's pay.

Not that anyone would be able to tell that through their masks.

Hotaru sighed softly. "Thank you. I have no idea whether it's a matter of exhaustion or satisfaction, but it always gives me a few hours of peace."

"You're doing all the work. It's my job to make that work easier whenever I can."

He removed his hands so he could hug her, but kept his head where it was to continue to listen to the baby's rapid but steady heartbeat, and was delighted when he could barely clasp his hands behind her. Hotaru had this _thing_ about gaining too much weight at one time and when she had been this far along with Naruto she had been much, much too skinny. It had worried him and he had been forced to get the doctor to back him up with a medical order just to get her to listen to him. She had been better with Nyoko and was even better yet this time around. She maintained that she had been so small with Naruto because he was her first and her abdominal muscles had not given up on her, but while he knew that happened sometimes, particularly among kunoichi, he was more convinced that she had been afraid he would no longer find her desirable.

It was an assumption based on the fact that he had been around pregnant woman up until his mother reached her forties because at any given point during his childhood, at _least_ one of his mother's friends was pregnant. It was usually two or three, though, and they would always come over and talk to his mother because she was the first one of any of them to get pregnant and give birth, so that made her some kind of instant guru even though she herself had insisted that one child did not constitute knowing anything about pregnancy and childbirth. Still, she did her best with offering advice and comfort, especially when a few of her friends suffered miscarriages and stillborns, and since she had been so very protective of him--probably afraid he would die like his brother had--she had always kept him close and out of trouble to give her full attention to these discussions with her friends.

As a result, he learned a lot about what made women enjoy and hate pregnancy and the most common of those hates had been 'turning into a cow'. He had never really understood, since he could very easily tell the difference between a pregnant woman and an overweight one even at five years of age, but apparently these women were really concerned about looking good for their husbands, themselves, and the rest of the world. He had seen and been sad at how agonizing over it had hurt them both physically and mentally and maybe Hotaru was telling the truth, but it was always good to plan for the worst and hope for the best. That and it hurt him that she might think he was so shallow as to insist that she remain slender during pregnancy when there was really no way she could manage that for long.

"You have your own job, _Hokage-sama_, and it's not fair of me to ask for more."

"I'm not _just_ the Hokage, you know--that would be boring. I have a non-Hokage duty to my children _and_ to you."

The funny thing was, being raised without a consistent father figure and spending such a great deal of time around pregnant women really brought out his nurturing side. Oh, he had still had a lot of fun finding the deepest and dirtiest mud puddle in the neighborhood and wrestling his dog or other boys in it, but whenever a younger child had fallen and gotten hurt, he had often reached the child and offered comfort before a teacher or parent could. The boys his age had laughed at him and called him a pansy or something equally childish, but to this day he could not figure out just what they found so laughable because _he_ had been the one who was always surrounded by girls, whose attention the other boys were constantly attempting to get. They could have done with taking a page from his book--he _and_ the girls had said this several times--but they had never listened and then later hated him for being such a chick magnet.

"I don't understand how you can ask so much of yourself and not burn out physically or psychologically. I can't imagine having the responsibility of thousands of people on my head and then still _wanting_ to be pestered by five children."

"_Five_?"

"What, are you telling me you don't consider your students your children?"

"They all have their own parents _and_ they're adults now."

"Oh please . . ."

"Hotaru, I'm really not that much older than they are."

"You expect me to believe that?" she snorted. "You think I haven't noticed how you fret when one of them goes out on an assignment?"

"It's just---"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. It's just because you're the Hokage and you're super responsible in the care of your subordinates. Like I haven't heard _that_ one forty million times. You're in a little bit of denial, that's all."

"But---"

"It's _okay_, Arashi. It's not as if you neglect your own flesh and blood. I merely noticed that you continue to take care of them even though yes, they _do_ have parents and yes, they _are_ adults. I just don't see how you can do it so easily when thinking about Naruto--let alone three others--possibly getting hurt almost causes me to suffer heart failure."

"I have a short attention span," he decided, "so something even slightly new can really get me energized and motivated."

She harrumphed. "That sounds too simple . . ."

He knew what it was. Being a father was the most traumatic thing that had ever happened to him and he loved it--in a perverse sort of way. The cause, undoubtedly, was that his original worst fear had been getting killed and leaving his mother all by herself. Then, suddenly, he had been seated with three kids whom he had never even _seen_ before, kids who actually belonged to _somebody else entirely_, and was told to keep them alive _and_ teach them how to kill people who were trying to kill them. This had mortified him, because his dog had really been his _mother's_ dog--she had done the feeding and vet trips--and every pet fish that he had ever had died in days, no matter what he did for them. If he could not keep fish alive, he had not had any idea how he was going to keep three kids--the oldest being barely thirteen--alive. He had done it, though, and did it with a skill that he had not known he possessed. The kids had stayed healthy and retained all their extremities while in his care and he had found that he _liked_ taking care of them.

That was probably the whole reason why he took Hotaru in. After leaving the academy he had buckled down and focused on his training and forgotten about how nice it was to care. When he had become a teacher that nurturing instinct had been reawakened and Hotaru, when he had first met her, had been in desperate need of many different levels of care. So he had removed her from the environment that hurt her and healed her, afraid that her spirit had been as broken as it looked in her eyes, but that had healed, too. He had never intended to fall in love with her, especially since she had been so afraid of him at first, but well . . . things happened. Who could have known that she would grow confident enough to challenge him and force him to look closer not only at her side of the argument, but also at his _own_ side, inspiring him to _enjoy_ debates rather than abhor them? Both of them had been entertained by it and had spent more time together and grown closer . . .

Then came Naruto.

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

I apologize if the last half of the chapter was a little confusing to read. I had been trying a slightly new format of writing and when I was editing it for posting I decided it was too spread out to be followed well, so I tried to make some repairs, but I don't know if they work out.

---

For anyone who may not know, Naruto's birthday is October tenth and that pretty much centralizes his sun as being in Libra's hold. Any deviations from Libran behavior are most likely a result of his rising sign or his moon sign (or his blood type), but I couldn't even begin to tell you what his rising and moon signs are without an exact year and, preferably, his time of birth (I'd need his place of birth, too, ideally, but I couldn't _possibly_ take his world and arrange it to match our own, so I give up on that from the get-go).

---

Can you tell I'm a NaruHina fan?

---

Yes, the Fourth is a chick magnet. So are a lot of other anime males. If you are a woman drawn to men who are kind of effeminate, _don't panic_. I think this was covered pretty thoroughly by all forms of media, but just in case, I'll offer it here. Recent studies indicated that women generally felt that men who were ruggedly handsome and had chiseled features were the top choice for a short-term fling, but for a long-term marriage-and-children relationship they consistently chose 'softer' men. Why? Those rugged good looks are a trait of high levels of testosterone, and high levels of testosterone are long-proven to lead to increased levels of aggression. Obviously, aggression isn't something we want to or _have_ to breed into humanity--we already have way more of it than we need right now anyway. If nothing else, a woman doesn't want her mate to be aggressive toward her and her children.

(Keep in mind that since this was research, it was generalized. There are certainly rugged men who are sweet, and there are certainly more effeminate men who are aggressive.)

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	21. Birthday

**Author's Notes:** Chapter twenty-one! Nyoko's birthday!

People, please take a deep breath and repeat after me: "Naruto is _not_ hooking up with anyone in _Door Number Two_. Naruto is _not_ hooking up with anyone_--anyone--_in _Door Number Two_." Why? Because the child is too socially inept (even in canon) to pull it off, especially under these circumstances. I don't think being seventeen will have fixed that.

And please don't worry about the Naruto-being-a-Libra stuff. It was an attempt--one that apparently failed terribly--to give Hotaru some depth and bring her into Naruto's life more. You were never going to hear about it again anyway, and you'll certainly never hear about it again now.

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 3,126

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 3/10/07

**Disclaimer:** Nope.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Twenty-One - Birthday

* * *

Arashi had been trained to know and make use of over two thousand methods of killing a human being. Being a first-time father trained him in the disturbing fact that babies knew over _three_ thousand and were not at all shy about testing these methods on themselves. From teething on electrical cords to randomly sticking items into electric sockets to climbing onto the kitchen counter to play with freshly-sharpened cutlery to nearly ingesting a box of rat poison, Naruto had been a suicide case waiting to happen. Hotaru had not had anyone to turn to and his own mother had died not long after Naruto was born--she had always been upset that he had been 'taking so long' to have children and had refused to die until he provided her with a grandchild she could hold; he had thought she had been joking at the time--so they teamed up against him to keep him alive in the best ways they could devise and in the process Arashi came to appreciate the strength his mother had possessed to raise _him_ all by herself when he had been having such trouble even as part of a close-knit tag team.

Nyoko had been much easier to deal with, mainly because Hitomi was so good at her job but also, apparently, because she was a girl. According to mothers he had spoken to, girls were just naturally quieter, cleaner, and better behaved. It turned out to be true, though instead of dying through electric shock she was trying to get killed by going outdoors by herself.

It was a never-ending battle for his sanity because he loved them so much and feared for them in a way he never quite had for the safety of his students or himself. He wanted to shield them from every possible harm and give them all the attention they could ever need, but even though he did everything he could it seemed to fall short so often . . .

"Boy or girl?"

"Eh?" Since they already had one of each, they had agreed that it would be fun to make the third one a surprise for even themselves. "Oh, well . . . Dunno. This one has a fast heartbeat and supposedly boys have faster heartbeats than girls, but Mikoto had one too and she's quite obviously not a boy."

"So which do you think it is?"

"Come on, Hotaru, I already have both. Gender hardly interests me."

"Well, _guess_!" she prodded playfully. "You've always _known_ before, so why don't you guess and be wrong for once?"

"All right, all right . . . Boy. What do _you_ think?"

"I don't know. I still haven't decided."

"Your celestial vibes or whatever aren't working out for you this time around, huh?" She pulled on a strand of his hair. "Ow."

"My _celestial vibes_ have never told me anything of the sort for _any_ of the children," she replied. "I'm trying to weigh pros and cons to find the lesser of two evils and haven't finished yet. The way things are going it's still going to be a while, too."

"It's nice to know you're looking forward to it," he said dryly.

"I'm sorry," she sighed. "I love you and our children dearly, but the journey to get them to an age where they can be reasoned with isn't exactly a particularly straight road. Please don't be angry with me."

He snuggled closer against her stomach. "I'm not."

It was the truth, too. While he enjoyed children of any age, Hotaru preferred them to be over five years. He had little doubt that she was uncomfortable around infants and though he did not know exactly why, he had a suspicion that it stemmed from her own childhood. That was something he did not ask about, though, because it was a private matter and because she did not ask about his assignments before he became Hokage--it was their balance.

". . . Arashi?"

"Mm?"

"I . . . I think something's bothering Naruto."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. He's just gotten really quiet and sober recently whenever he sees me."

Arashi lifted his head to look at her. "Have you asked?"

"I tried once, but he only said that he felt funny and didn't--or couldn't--elaborate." She shook her head. "Whatever it is, it seems to have increased by ten just today. That's part of the reason why I came here. When I left he was trying to play with Nyoko and he was smiling, but his eyes looked very sad and confused. I don't think he's trying to hide it--he just doesn't know what it is and thus can't explain it."

"I'll try to get out of here early and take him down to the field for training. I'll see if I can figure it out."

"Arashi, he was very open with me. I don't think you'll have to force it out of him."

"I know. I'm not going to beat on him."

That plan failed, however, and Arashi sighed heavily as he meandered home through the building twilight. He had really been looking forward to training with Naruto--when they fought after that first month of Naruto's solo training he had been both very impressed and very proud even though he mercilessly whipped the boy every fight--and was glad he had told Hotaru not to mention it, because he did not want to have to see the disappointment. He had no doubt Naruto would understand--Naruto had been surprisingly understanding since his accident, really--but he did not want him to _have_ to understand. _He's still just a boy, no matter how accomplished a ninja he's become._

The trees ahead rustled softly and he paused as the subject of his thoughts stepped out of the trees to watch the sun set. Naruto did not seem to know he was there, which afforded him the opportunity to see his son's behavior when there was no one around.

_He looks . . . melancholy._

". . . Naruto?"

The boy's face, if it was possible, grew even more upset upon seeing him. Despite that, he lifted his arms for a hug. Arashi grabbed him and hefted him like he was half his age, settling his firstborn on his arms as he detoured to the cliff edge to get away from the ANBU waiting in the trees still. He did not think going home was a good idea at the moment; if Naruto needed to talk he would surely be more open outdoors. He felt Naruto hook his arms around his neck and hide his face in the upturned collars of his vest and coat. The boy's body deflated and grew heavier as he relaxed and minor adjustments were made to keep his weight evenly balanced. Whatever was bothering him must have been huge, because despite his state of ease his frame still sang with the tension of a drawn bowstring.

Arashi said nothing, though, and stopped at the edge of the cliff, quietly watching the sun set and bearing his son's weight. Naruto would speak when he was ready--not a moment before--and Arashi would wait patiently for that time, even if it took all night and day and even if his arms fell off from holding him. Roughly an hour passed that way and the sun was just touching distant mountains when Naruto mumbled something into his neck.

He shifted slightly to put more of their combined weight on the balls of his feet and asked casually, "What was that?"

Naruto sighed into his father's neck as he realized he _needed_ to say this. Needed to say it and _look_ at the one he was speaking to so he could anticipate a reaction. Besides that, he wanted to know what it felt like to say it, as he was unsure he would ever have a chance to again if he was able to go back where he belonged.

He lifted his head and looked at his father hesitantly. ". . . I love you, Dad." There was a long pause as he was regarded curiously before being gifted with a soft smile.

Arashi had not expected such a declaration, as Naruto had never really been particularly demonstrative previously, but it made those instances where he _did_ say it that much more special. He moved Naruto's weight to one arm and lifted the other, brushing his thumb gently over his son's cheek and smearing the concealer that hid the three pencil-mark whiskers.

_They really are cute._

"I love you too, Little Fox."

The way Naruto's face relaxed and then broke into a relieved smile was an extra reward. The twelve-year-old--still so very much a child--leaned in to hug his neck once more and he pressed a kiss to the whiskered cheek as he watched the rim of the sun sink behind the mountains so that the stars could come out to play. They stayed there for another half-hour before he decided to suggest going home, but Naruto was apparently not done talking quite yet.

"Dad?"

"Yes?"

He pulled away so they could look at one another. ". . . I feel weird."

_This is probably the same thing Hotaru mentioned._ "Weird how?"

"Whenever I see Mom or Nyoko or both of them together . . . I hurt here." Naruto freed a hand to touch his own chest lightly.

"What kind of hurt? A squeezy kind?"

"No, like . . . like I'm alone."

Arashi did not know what to say at first. He did not want to ruin Nyoko's birthday party for Naruto by explaining everything, but asking to be allowed to put it off would sound like he was trying to avoid it. _It's about Nyoko's infancy, I'm positive. What wonderfully ironic timing. What do they say in Claw Country? "Think not of a tiger, lest the thought bring it to you"? I never thought that kind of thing actually **happened** . . ._

Of course, he could always have said he had no idea what it was, but that would leave Naruto feeling even more isolated.

Finally, he came up with a solution. ". . . Naruto . . . I think I know what that feeling is. I can explain it to you if you like, but it might disrupt Nyoko's birthday for you. If you want me to tell you now I will, or I can tell you after Nyoko's in bed."

"Mm . . ." Naruto's eyes unfocused and began to shift back and forth, as if looking at things only he could see. His expression changed and his mouth moved as if he was speaking, but it was not enough to discern words. After a moment of this, he refocused on Arashi. "Okay. I don't want Nyoko to be upset if it _does_ bother me. I'll wait."

_I guess asking him about the evaluation session will have to wait, too._ Arashi registered the approach of the ANBU guard and Naruto twitched an instant before Rat landed on the side of the tree nearest them. "Hokage-sama, it's Lady Hotaru."

Considering her tone, there was no emergency. Hotaru was calling them in. "I wish she'd listen to me about not using you all like accessories."

"Owl volunteered, actually. She was apparently growing concerned about your absence."

"Oh, all right. That's different." He swung Naruto around behind him into a piggy-back position and set off for the house. "By the way, will you and Owl be joining us?"

"Thank you, Hokage-sama, but we can't."

Having expected a polite denial--it was a part of the general training, after all--he added with devious innocence, "That's too bad. Since my students are going to be there, Hotaru was going to let everyone touch the baby."

The air around them shifted to annoyance.

_Bingo. Man, I love messing with these people._

"Are you sure you can't?" he offered again. "The more the merrier."

"I'm sure, Hokage-sama. Thank you, though."

"All right, but if you change your mind, don't hesitate to come inside."

Hotaru met them at the door. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine," he assured her, letting Naruto down by the lounge. "Naruto and I had a little talk. We're still not done, but it can hold until after the party." She tilted her head in question and he shook his a bit as Naruto stared with wide eyes at the lounge full of people and kids he had never seen before. He backed up into Arashi's side and Arashi draped an arm over his shoulder to pat his chest reassuringly. "It's okay, Naruto. They're family."

Naruto grabbed his arm reflexively, squeezing it nervously. "_All_ of them?"

"Yes."

Naruto hated crowds--they had used their numbers against him before. He also could not grasp the idea that _so many_ people were family. To him, a family was more just parents and their children rather than aunts and uncles and grandparents and friends, too.

He had apparently said the last bit out loud, because the Fourth said, "Well, there aren't any grandparents here, nor any aunts or uncles. There _are_ some friends in there somewhere, but you know all of them already."

"Then who _are_ these people?!"

"Your sisters and brothers-in-law and nieces and nephews."

He gawked at the packed lounge again. "I don't even _know_ them!"

"That's okay. I've already told them what happened. They don't expect you to know who they are, though I'm sure they'd be delighted if you did. They'll probably question you to death about how you're feeling, so be patient."

Naruto looked around the room again and thought of the people waiting for him in his home. _But then, I guess, that's why, even if they're only friends, they're still my precious people. They're the closest thing to family I'll ever have._

"Nii-chan! Nii-chan, Nii-chan!"

He was still surprised at how easily he had gotten used to that term--_Probably thanks to the other me._--and sought for the source. "_You're_ a familiar face," he told Nyoko, crouching to pick her up. "Wow, you're all dressed up, aren't you?"

"Mm-hm! It pretty?"

He brushed her dark locks back. She definitely took after their mother in that regard. "It's very pretty, and so are you."

She grinned and hugged his neck.

"There he is!" a woman deep in the room announced. "Papa!"

"Papa!" several other women chorused happily.

Naruto ducked behind his father as a gaggle of women ranging from eighteen to twenty-eight years old rushed forward to overwhelm the Fourth with hugs and kisses. He laughed, returning all the affectionate gestures and greetings he received as quickly as he could. "Okay, wait, wait! Who _haven't_ I kissed yet? . . . Well don't just stand there like a lump--come here!"

Hotaru reached down and took Nyoko from Naruto, who did not view this as a good sign. Sure enough, the Fourth turned and grabbed him, dragging him around and placing him directly in the path of all his adopted sisters who, to his horror, smiled brightly.

"It's _Naruto_!" they squealed, descending on him all at once.

He tried to squirm to freedom, but even only holding him with one hand, his father had him trapped. "Now wait," the Fourth said, putting his other hand out to stop the women. "You can't smother him like that. He's nervous around people he doesn't know. Line up and meet him one at a time."

They obeyed, offering their names and a hug. He did not like it initially, but started to feel that they _did_ care about him. It helped a great deal that the Fourth was there behind him, both watching his back and providing something strong for him to lean against.

_You're still a pussy,_ Kyuubi snorted, ruining a perfectly nice moment. _I thought you said you'd quit this after training._

_I never said I'd quit it, Fox-bastard. Besides, even if I had, this isn't a battle situation. For once in my life I have someone I can run to--it's a nice feeling._

_You're such a child._

Naruto hissed. _No fuck, stupid fox! When did you first notice?!_

Once his adopted sisters got the chance to cuddle him, the party went on. From the way things looked, the people he knew had been placed strategically around the room so that he did not have to feel isolated. The fact that none of them seemed to be curious when he showed up more than once in the span of ten minutes only proved it. Not to his surprise, he gravitated more toward Kakashi and Jiraiya whenever the Fourth left his line of sight. Kakashi in particular--Jiraiya was far too busy gawking at the women--was very accommodating with his disrespect for personal space.

Finally, though, he braved his dislike of crowds and wandered into the room alone, since they were not going to hurt him. This turned into a rather enlightening occurrence, since he got to meet many brothers-in-law whose careers ranged from ninja to doctor to shopkeeper, as well as a small selection of nieces who were actually five months to two years _older_ than he was--all of those had been born before his father had taken the young mothers in. He had thought they might be bitter about it, because they would technically be required to obey him since he was considered their uncle even though he was so much younger than them, but fortunately all of them were girls--girls seemed to take authority issues a little better--and they apparently found the entire situation more amusing than he did.

He also got hit on a lot, both in jest and seriously, which was a weird experience in both cases. Kyuubi had to remind him several times that these women were not _actually_ related to him by blood or even legally, aside from his father's word as the Hokage. There was nothing stopping him from at least flirting back, which he decided to do after a little bit with the older kids and his 'sisters', just for the sake of fun. The young girls were quite scary, though, because roughly half of them claimed they were going to marry him when they grew up and when their competition overheard these declarations, catfights kept developing.

"What are you doing to them?" the Fourth asked curiously, rescuing him from the middle of yet another tiff.

"They all want to _marry_ me!" he cried. "I'm not _doing_ anything, aside from _existing_!"

His father chuckled and he glared back. "You'll be okay. It'd probably be better if you kept your distance from them, though, so this doesn't keep happening."

"Gladly!"

"You _can't_ have him!" Nyoko barked suddenly from her place in Hotaru's arms, drawing the attention of the room's occupants. "He's _my_ nii-chan, 's _my_ berfday, and _I'm_ gonna marry him!"

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

I can't ask my parents how true it is because they only had three girls, but apparently, baby girls are supposedly easier to take care of than boys. This makes sense to me. Nothing against boys, but they're just more _active_ and whatnot, I guess.

---

Also, a baby boy is supposed to have a faster heartbeat than a girl, but my friend's parents thought _she_ was a boy before she was born because she had a fast heartbeat.

---

Enter: Angsty!Naruto. Fortunately, it's temporary.

---

I don't have Naruto's stats on hand, but if I remember correctly he weighs about ninety pounds (forty kilograms) as a twelve-year-old. This is a lot of weight to hold, I agree, but not only is it safe to assume that ninja strength-train--so they can hold more weight for longer--it's often shown that they use their chakra to enhance their strength (Tsunade and, later, Sakura are the best examples). So I _did_ take Naruto's weight into account--I just cheerfully disregarded it thanks to canon.

---

I think the original proverb is: "Think not of a tiger, lest you bring one to you by the thought." Either way, it's from India, if I remember correctly. I take no credit.

---

I've said it before, but I'll say it again to be clear: No, Naruto is not going to get together with anyone, male or female, even if they hit on him.

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	22. Quake

**Author's Notes:** Chapter twenty-two! I apologize in advance for Naruto's "episode". Upon reflection, it's way more melodramatic than I initially thought it was. I was going to cut the scene entirely, but aside from delaying posting and rewriting the entire chapter, I couldn't do that without taking out another part that I want to leave in. I did some emergency editing instead to try to make Naruto a little more in character for the circumstances. So please don't tell me how awful it is--I already know, it could have been worse, and maybe sometime in the future I'll have the energy to change it to something not so . . . _bad_.

Hooray! More **_fanart_**! This time from Egg, regarding the ninjas' response to the presence of pregnant women. Check it out at: http :// www .deviantart .com /deviation/ 50454817/

To **A-man**: My aunt's husband's brother is around forty years old and has Down Syndrome. He has the intelligence level of a twelve-year-old, but the mental and emotional maturity of a six-year-old. He is friendly, agreeable, and smiles often. He is also obsessive, pitches incredible screaming tantrums, and cries like an infant because he, even with his twelve-year-old intelligence, was allowed to get away with those things before. He is a spoiled brat, and it is obvious. So no, I have no doubt that a _normal_ twelve-year-old would probably not demand to be picked up, but a spoiled twelve-year-old--which the parallel Naruto is already established as being--will do whatever will get him what he wants, even if that means behaving like a person half his age, and some of that has leaked to canon Naruto, who's not exactly the epitome of maturity anyway. Twelve-year-olds can be like that, eighteen-year-olds can be like that, thirty-year-olds can be like that, and so on. If someone is allowed to be immature, they will _continue_ to be immature because it gets the desired results.

To **SoA**: Interesting that you would say that--are you a blossoming psychic? Because at this point, the drama portion of the plot has been in progress for some time and the action portion of the plot hasn't yet been fully engaged. So it's actually forty percent plot and sixty percent crap. You were close.

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 2,894

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 3/14/07

**Disclaimer:** If I ever _do_ get the rights to _anything_, you would find out about it in minutes of the contract being signed.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Two - Quake

* * *

"It's _not_ funny," Naruto groused, absently picking up a few scattered plates.

"I'm not laughing at _you_," his father replied, chuckling. "I just didn't know a room full of people who weren't ninja could get that quiet that quickly. And just leave that there--it's too late now. We'll clean it up tomorrow."

He set the plates on a near table. "She's my _sister_! And the others were _egging her on_!"

"I know. And it's okay, Naruto, really. That's how little kids express their love."

"Declarations of _marriage_?"

"Yes. You did it, too."

"When?! To whom?!"

The mere thought was mortifying.

"You were three or four. You said you loved me, but you were very sorry because you were going to kill me so you could marry your mother."

Naruto felt a blush heat his cheeks. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize--it was cute."

Only a ninja would think a death threat from a three-year-old was cute. "I love Mom, but I don't want to marry her."

"See? It was just a phase. Very young children are selfish by nature. You wanted to kill me so I wouldn't be competition for your mother's affection and you wanted to marry her to keep everyone else away for the same reason. Once you grew up a little, you were able to understand that love is something one person can have for many others and to prevent that from happening is extremely cruel."

If that were true, then he had been treated with far more cruelty than he had first thought. "It's still weird."

"No doubt about that. But it'll be over by the time she's six." Arashi yawned and put an arm around his son's shoulders. "Well, I guess that wraps up tonight." He quickly recalled the agreement he and Naruto had made. "No . . ." he murmured. "No, it doesn't." He sighed heavily and looked down at the smaller blond. "Come on. I promised an explanation."

It took over an hour, but the story of Nyoko's infancy and Naruto's subsequent emotional pain was finally told and Arashi was not encouraged by his firstborn's expression. He wanted to assure Naruto that he would not let it happen again, but even the thought of saying it sounded like a hollow promise. He expected the twelve-year-old to get up at any moment and walk from the room without a backward glance, no consideration given to the shame and sadness he had not bothered to hide, and when morning came the world would be as it was before Naruto's coma.

The door to the bedroom opened and Hotaru stepped in. ". . . Oh. I'm sorry."

Naruto apparently did not hear her because he did not react to her presence, but Arashi shook his head and motioned for her to enter. She did so quietly, sitting down on Naruto's other side. The boy turned to her blankly, frowning at her stomach. He did not seem angry as much as confused, as if he was trying to sort things out in his mind. One of his hands drifted to his chest, where he had indicated the loneliness stemmed from, and rubbed absently.

After several minutes, Naruto said slowly, ". . . I don't understand, but . . . I probably won't be able to until I have kids anyway. I'm sorry."

"It's all right if you don't understand it completely," Arashi told him. "All you have to understand is that we don't want that to happen ever again and you can help by reminding us that you need attention too if we ever seem to be ignoring you."

"Okay." Naruto smiled and slid from the bed to the floor. "Just so you know, I can be really annoying when I want to."

"That's what I'm counting on."

"As long as that's clear!" He kissed his mother on the cheek and hugged both his parents, then headed for the door. "Good night!"

Arashi thought that he was taking it much too well, but Hotaru was convinced. "See?" she murmured softly. "Wasn't so bad, was it?"

"No," he was forced to admit, and looked over at the door reflexively only to see Naruto leaning against the door frame. "Naruto?" He left the bed and went to the door. He was alarmed when he saw that his son was pale, shaking, and sweating and clutching fiercely at his chest as if to forcefully massage away a pain. _Oh no. Now what?_ "_Naruto_?"

". . . It hurts," he whimpered, panting. ". . . Make it stop . . ." Arashi held him and tried to soothe him, but he began to writhe and scream. "_Make him STOP_!_ I don't CARE about that, damn it_!"

For having such strength over Naruto, Arashi was having a hard time keeping him from throwing himself into the wall. Of course, part of it undoubtedly came from the fact that all of his defensive alarms were going off--Naruto's thrashing registered as a threat--and he was having to fight his own body to keep from letting go of the smaller blond. The two struggled until Arashi chose to not maintain his balance and simply collapsed onto his back, lifting Naruto from the floor and rendering him slightly more controllable.

_When did he get so strong?!_

"Naruto!" Hotaru cried worriedly.

"Don't!" he commanded distractedly, and Hotaru obediently stopped before she reached them. He wrestled with Naruto a bit more, then flipped both of them over. Almost immediately, Naruto began to beat his head on the hardwood floor with an angry snarl. Arashi quickly restrained the boy's head, pinning it against his collarbone and using his body weight to hold the rest. Owl and Rat appeared in the window and moved to hold Naruto's arms and legs still for him.

Suddenly, the iron-like tension in the younger's body evaporated and Naruto gasped raggedly, as if he had been held under water for a long time and then brought up to the surface. After holding him a while longer, to be sure he would not suffer another spell or whatever it was, Arashi released Naruto and sat up. Owl and Rat, mimicking him as they had been trained, did the same. Naruto got to his knees, head hanging in mute distress, then turned slowly.

"Dad," he whimpered, shivering, and Arashi embraced him gently.

It seemed there was something more he wished to say, but would not. Arashi looked over to Owl and Rat. "Thank you," he said, and they nodded obediently before vanishing. He cuddled Naruto warmly, giving Hotaru an acquiescent look. If Naruto went into another fit, he could hold the boy long enough for her to get out of the way. "Naruto . . ."

"I don't care about what happened," Naruto murmured weakly. "That's not who I am. I don't want to hate you."

"I know," Arashi answered, not sure what else to say. _It supports the id theory, though. I wish I knew for sure, or even how to approach him about this._ "It's okay."

Hotaru kissed her son's temple, then pulled up the hem of his jacket to scratch his back for him. His shoulders twitched as if ticklish, then hunched forward completely as he closed his eyes and arched involuntarily into her ministrations. "It's late, sweetheart. Go ahead and go to sleep," she advised softly. "We can talk more tomorrow."

"I love you," he whispered distantly.

"I love you, too."

Not for the first time, Arashi was distinctly annoyed that mothers always seemed to know exactly what to say while fathers could only take a wild guess at the correct answer and hope it did not offend anyone.

She smiled and offered him a kiss. "You should go to sleep as well."

It sounded like a nice idea and he agreed by getting up and placing Naruto in bed.

"Oh, for gods' sakes, Arashi," she chided, using some kind of heretofore unknown x-ray vision to see through his layers of clothes to his tensed back. "You're going to be prune-faced and grey-haired by the time you're forty-two." She dropped her hands on him as he straightened up and began putting pressure on the knots that had formed.

It hurt.

"Ow," he complained.

"Well, that's what you get," she chided. "Honestly, sometimes I think _you_ are the kids' mother and not me. You get ready for bed--and take a really hot shower while you're at it--I'm going to give you another massage."

"You don't have to."

"But I'm going to."

"Hotaru . . ."

"I'm pregnant," she snapped in annoyance, "not crippled. _Go_."

He sighed and nuzzled her cheek, then went into the bathroom. When he came out twenty minutes later, she was sitting patiently on the edge of the bed, petting Naruto. She got up so that he could lie down and he decided, "No teasing this time."

"Not this time, no," she agreed. "Though if you choose to construe it as teasing, I won't be held responsible."

The scent of the massage oil was strong and Naruto snorted softly, wrinkling his nose.

"Think maybe he doesn't like it?" Hotaru suggested with a smirk.

Arashi reached out to soothe the boy's discomfort. "It's strange . . . His senses seem to be much sharper than they were. The littlest things bother him. He doesn't like to hold Nyoko close because she'll squeal in his ear; it causes him pain, apparently."

"All the better to hear when someone tries to sneak up on him. He'll be all right."

Arashi was not convinced. "I hope s---Ow!"

Naruto flinched violently and woke. ". . . Mm?"

Hotaru sighed. "Go back to sleep, sweetie."

"Wha's goin' on?"

"I'm slaying your father with my super massage skills."

Naruto squinted uncomprehendingly.

Hotaru wiped the oil off one hand onto Arashi's arm, then reached over and stroked her son's hair. "It's all right, honey. Your father's a perverted moron who can't take proper care of himself, so I have to do it for him, which means it causes him mild pain because he likes to fight me in these sorts of things."

"I'm not _fighting_ you," Arashi protested.

"Shut up," Hotaru commanded. "Yes you are."

Arashi sighed heavily and looked at Naruto, who was grinning sleepily, and gawked when he saw the boy mouth, "Mom's bitch." He quickly extended his arm and punched the boy in the head lightly.

"Arashi!" Hotaru scolded, hitting him in return. "What was that for?!"

"He called me a name!"

"He didn't _say_ anything!"

"Not aloud!"

"Oh, for the love of . . ." She pointed at Naruto. "You, go back to sleep. And _you_"--she squeezed the shoulder muscle in her hand, earning a yelp of pain--"grow up."

They reconciled quite quickly; Naruto nosed closer and Arashi obediently made himself available to put the boy to sleep once again. When Hotaru finished her massage and looked up again, she found both of them sleeping practically nose to nose. She wished desperately that she had a camera, but in lieu of that took several minutes to simply look at them. A few of the spikes of their hair mingled and when brushed together, it was impossible to tell which locks belonged to which of her boys.

Finally, she kissed both of them on the cheek and climbed into bed herself.

* * *

Hotaru rolled her eyes.

Shinju and Hitomi did not understand.

Aya told them it was a form of nonverbal Manspeak.

As far as Arashi was concerned, it was exactly what it was supposed to be: a stress buster.

Naruto had been surprisingly hesitant at first, but Arashi let him win a few rounds and get used to the idea. Once he had, Arashi had his hands full. Despite being in easily-grasped clothes, Naruto was very slippery and could get away from him more often than he remembered the boy being able to do before. That and Naruto was much more deviously underhanded in his tactics than Arashi could recall.

However, he had decided to use the current space to its full advantage. The lounge had been cleaned of trash and errant food bits from Nyoko's birthday party, but the furniture had not been moved back into place. This left a very large open space that was perfect for physical activity and that was exactly what he had coerced Naruto into.

It could not last forever, of course.

Naruto panted lightly and sat down in the wake of their most recent bout.

"Need a break already, Little Fox?"

"Speak for yourself, you red-faced geezer."

Arashi touched the back of one hand to his forehead thoughtfully and sure enough, his face was definitely flushed. He looked over at the clock and decided it was acceptable--they had been at it for two hours.

"Daddy! Nii-chan!" Nyoko toddled into the room, dragging two bottles of water behind her. "Need thirsty?"

"Oh, Nyoko, you are the most darling child to have ever graced this sad world," Naruto gushed, kissing her head before taking one of the bottles and setting into it with gusto.

Nyoko beamed happily at the compliment, even though she probably did not understand it in the slightest, and then offered the other bottle to Arashi. "Mommy say I could haf some tea if I give you this."

So the truth came out. For all her claiming to not be able to reason with children, Arashi had to say that Hotaru's alternate method sounded like child-reasoning to him. If Nyoko took the water right to him and did not detour then she would be rewarded with her mother's tea that she had such an unholy adoration for at two--no, now three--years of age. It was something the little girl could understand, especially when the treat was on her back and just out of reach. She knew it was there and knew the fastest way to get it would be to go where she was told. It was a form of reasoning, all right--taking advantage of the girl's natural selfishness.

"Well thank you." He took the wonderfully cool bottle from her and, in accordance with the agreement, removed the tippy cup full of tea from the makeshift harness on her back to give to her. She flopped down by Naruto's knee and began to suck furiously at the cup. He sipped at his water, then set it aside to get the harness off her. It had several strings involved and he did not want her to somehow end up choked by them.

After finishing the water, he and Naruto agreed to stop for a while, mainly because Nyoko had finished her tea first and promptly crawled into Arashi's lap to sleep. It was actually a very good idea and he reclined on the cushions he pulled off the various pieces of furniture. Naruto picked Nyoko up so he could stretch his legs out and resettled her against his ribs, then stretched out on his other side. Arashi put a hand on each of his children--_How will I find a hand for the third one?_--and shifted a bit before closing his eyes. There was certainly something to be said for taking a nap with one's children.

Naruto was also musing similarly--how it felt to be able to just spontaneously decide to nap, primarily, and how nice it felt to nap with family--as he drifted in and out of consciousness. There was one small, or perhaps large, complication to that.

_It's here,_ Kyuubi hissed suddenly.

_What the hell are you **talking** about, Fox-bastard?_ Naruto snapped. Ever since the fiasco in the hospital--he had let himself get too carried away talking about himself and the Fourth, but that was not something he could remedy for now--Kyuubi had been updating him on something that even the powerful fox was not exactly able to identify or be comfortable with the presence of. Even so, Kyuubi passed on multiple and dire warnings of, "It stirs," then, "It rages," and then, "It comes." Now, apparently, whatever it was had arrived. _Damn it, you old fox---_

He never finished because he became aware of a distant vibration in the air. The Fourth, still sleeping, apparently, seemed to not notice it. The vibration became more defined, however, and after a moment his father woke and looked to the east, confused and wary. ". . . Naruto, can you feel that?"

"Yes."

Before they could speculate on what it might be, the whole house began to shake. Arashi flipped over, placing Nyoko beneath him, then yanked Naruto under him as well and pinned both of them to the floor. He wanted to make sure Hotaru was all right, but he also needed to keep the kids safe. Several screams from elsewhere in the house reached him, which did not help.

Naruto appeared to have the same thoughts, because he tried to lunge away. "Mom!"

"Don't move!" he barked, increasing the weight he had placed them under.

"But Mom---!"

"She can take care of herself!" He winced when he heard a crash and hoped it was not part of the house--the place had been around since the Shodai and while maintenance was done regularly, it was still very outdated as far as buildings went. There was no telling how it would stand up to something it had not been designed for.

Then, as quickly as the shaking had begun, it was over.

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

I don't know about you all, but my parents _always_ laughed at my sisters and me if we were ever embarrassed. That's probably why I don't talk any more, now that I think about it . . .

---

Yes, when parallel!Naruto was a kid, he had a slight Oedipus Complex. Or, at least, he did now that I've gotten a hold of him.

---

Naruto's 'episode' was indeed a result of his counterpart being incredibly rude and unfair; he was forcing Naruto to experience everything he had during Nyoko's infancy, with Kyuubi's sadistic blessing.

---

For the record, when speaking of the First Hokage in Japanese terms, he is the "Shodai" and _not_ the "Shodaime". I don't know why--that's just how it is.

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	23. Anxiety

**Author's Notes:** Chapter twenty-three! Not much happens, but it begs the question: Is it really possible that someone in Konoha might _not_ recognize the Hokage on sight?

To **A-man**: In chapter four, while discussing the presence of parallel!Naruto, Kyuubi says: '_From what I've observed, you are the stronger and more dominant personality and that won you control. But because he is awake, you are subject to his behaviors. This is surely the reason why you took so easily to having a family._' There are other instances referencing the same in later chapters, but this is the first and most blatant. Parallel!Naruto has the potential to affect canon!Naruto's behaviors considerably (though it could be argued that canon!Naruto, as the dominant personality, should have some skill in beating parallel!Naruto down). I would like to go more in-depth and discuss the rest of your review(s), but I don't want to take up a lot of space so that everyone can get to the chapter quicker. If you would like to speak more about it, please leave your e-mail address next time. Otherwise, I can't respond any more than what's here. (And no, the criticism I mentioned was not you--it was for a _The Lord of the Rings_ fic I wrote years ago. I'd be delighted to share it--it's awful.)

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 2,762

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 3/17/07

**Disclaimer:** Nope.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Three - Anxiety

* * *

Nyoko was not yet crying, but her eyes were wide with terror at the experience. Naruto trembled harshly and looked to be on the verge of crying as well. Arashi gave both a kiss on the head and soothed them. "It's okay . . . Shh . . . It's okay now." Nyoko was convinced, but Naruto was more than old enough to know better and was not as at ease as Arashi would have preferred him to be. "Let's go find your mother."

This had the desired effect with Naruto, but not for the first time Arashi cursed the size of the house because it would be harder to find Hotaru this way. The pantry was the panic room, as it were, because it was centrally-located and half-buried, but that would not help with something having as little forewarning as an earthquake. So he resorted to running throughout the house--Nyoko in one arm and his free hand holding one of Naruto's--and calling. He gathered a pack of girls, all of them frightened out of their minds, and sent Salamander and Mantis for information when they came to check on him. He did not come across Hotaru until they checked the kitchen. There she leaned against a wall and breathed heavily while Hitomi, Shinju, and Aya hovered over her anxiously.

"Well," she noted thoughtfully, "that was certainly exciting, wasn't it?"

"Hotaru!"

"Mom!"

She smiled as they knelt on either side of her. "I'm okay. Shaken, but okay."

"Are you sure?"

Naruto looked at his father in surprise. The Fourth sounded ready to suffer a nervous breakdown at any moment. He started to ask what the big deal was--Hotaru was clearly all right--but recalled what he had overheard months ago at Sasuke's house. His mother's condition while pregnant was tentative at best and a trauma such as this, if she was not careful, could throw her into premature labor or something.

She took the Fourth's face in her hands, looked him squarely in the eyes, and said slowly, "I am _fine_."

"Okay," he whispered, obviously not totally convinced. "Okay . . ."

"You need to go do damage control," she reminded him. "Go on. I promise I'll be here when you get back. And take Naruto with you. I'll keep Nyoko."

Naruto knew she was trying to make them leave and Arashi did as well. "But---"

"You aren't going to do any good wandering around here whimpering about the state I'm in, especially when there's nothing you can do about it." She used the wall to get to her feet, not allowing either of them to help her even for a moment. It was not really a matter of pride--it was a nonverbal testament to her condition. She _was_ fine. "You're the Hokage and right now your village needs you. _Go_."

For the first time, Naruto realized how beautiful his mother truly was. Despite his father's claims that she was high-strung, Naruto had rarely seen her in a mood that was not level-headed. Her composure gave her the look and bearing of a fairy tale queen. _Is this what Dad saw in her?_ "She's right, Dad. Come on."

_Again!_ Kyuubi warned.

_Again?_ Naruto echoed, briefly confused.

The Fourth looked distinctly betrayed, but turned to leave obediently. They made it to the doorway before the house began to shake once more. His father grabbed him and rushed back across the room to his mother. Hotaru hugged the Fourth--for steadiness more than comfort--and hid her eyes in his shoulder. Naruto knelt to hug Nyoko close to keep her from being hurt, but the shaking was even worse than it had been the first time and he found himself knocked off balance. He fell against his father's leg and struggled to get to his knees.

"Climb the trees!" the Fourth shouted over the rumbling earth, pulling Naruto up by the collar and ducking in to protect his family from the plaster that had begun to fall in chunks from the ceiling.

_What the hell is he talking about?!_ Naruto cried. _Climb **what** trees?!_

_I doubt he was being literal,_ Kyuubi replied, sounding as though he was speaking through gritted fangs.

_Climb the trees . . . the trees . . . Climb trees . . . Oh!_ Naruto placed his feet the best he could and used his chakra to stick to the wood floor. With his knees slightly bent, he was now absorbing the powerful vibrations surprisingly well. He did not have long to cheer for himself, as he was assaulted seconds later by a slab of the ceiling. It glanced off the side of his head and split in half upon contact with his right shoulder; he did his best to shield Nyoko from it.

"Naruto! Concentrate!" came the sharp command, and Naruto refocused dazedly. He felt as though a large section of his scalp had been cut off and his shoulder was equally numb from the pain. _Is it dislocated?_

The shaking stopped. He slid to the floor, not willing to let Nyoko go in case there was to be more quaking but in too much pain to keep his feet. _Why does it hurt so much, anyway? It's just **plaster** . . ._

Nyoko suddenly shrieked and pointed at him. "Nii-chan _bluh-hud_!"

He sneezed in response; sitting had stirred up plaster dust.

"Naruto, here. Look up."

He obeyed. "Mom, it hurts."

"I know, sweetie. Just stay calm--it's not bad."

"He die, he die!" Nyoko wailed, sobbing inconsolably. "_Bluh-hud_!"

"He's not going to die!" the Fourth snapped at her with an unusually short temper, gently forcing Naruto to lie on his left side in his father's lap. Stroking the boy's hair with his fingers, he noted, "Naruto, you're favoring your shoulder."

"It . . . feels broken or something."

"I'll check. Squeeze my arm if it starts to hurt too much." Naruto only had to do so once. "It's not broken or dislocated. I think the sudden impact strained the muscles in your shoulder. They were tense, right?"

"Yes."

"That's probably it, then. We'll put a salve on it for now and check again later."

Something very cold and wet touched the cut on his head and he jumped both from the temperature and the sting.

"Sorry," Hotaru murmured, dabbing at the cut a short distance above his ear. "There. Is that better?"

The cold felt quite nice and he told her so.

"That's good. Arashi, can you heal this?"

"Mm-hm."

"All right. Do it before Nyoko gets any more upset."

"I can do it myself," Naruto told them, levering himself up slowly. "You need to save your chakra, Dad."

"But Naruto . . ."

"Seriously, Mom. I feel a lot better now. I think I was just knocked off kilter for a bit and the cold water brought me back."

"We shouldn't stay," Aya advised. "Not with the ceiling coming down on our heads."

"My thoughts exactly," the Fourth agreed, gathering a protesting Hotaru up into his arms. "If you want to get things, bring only what you absolutely _must_ have. I'm sure the house will survive, but we won't if we stay in here."

Naruto picked Nyoko up again and kept her on his left side, following his father to a place near the cliff, where there were no trees to fall on any unwary parties. Everyone else followed one at a time, leaving the house with various armfuls of supplies.

"All right, you got your way," Hotaru said. "Go on."

The Fourth fidgeted like a child.

"And you," she said to Naruto, "try to rinse out your hair when you can--your blood is congealing in it."

"Okay, Mom."

"Now both of you get. Nyoko, come here and sit by me."

Naruto tugged lightly on his father's hand, drawing him away slowly. He was half way to the cliff edge when Salamander and Mantis appeared in front of them. The report was brief and grim, but the knowledge seemed to shift the Fourth's focus to the village at last.

"Thank you. Now I need the two of you two to stay here with Hotaru. If she shows _any_ signs of labor, get her to the hospital and then contact me. I'll have my headset."

They saluted obediently and moved over to Hotaru. Naruto heard them casually offer to check on the baby.

"Come on, Naruto."

"Um, Dad?" he asked tentatively as they headed into the village, knowing that it was not a good idea to bring anything up right then.

"What?"

_Yet I am going to anyway._ "What about . . . What about Sasuke's mom?"

The Fourth stopped suddenly, pale-faced. "Gods . . . Mikoto . . ." He was clearly torn. "But I can't . . ."

_Definitely should never have brought it up. Why is my mouth so damn big?_ "Go on, Dad."

"But I _can't_."

"You can for a minute, to make sure she's okay. I'll go on into the village for you."

"_You_? You're _twelve_."

It was gently incredulous, not meant to offend, but it still stung his pride. "Dad, do you want me to grow up or not?"

The Fourth looked at him, startled. "'Grow up'? Growing up has nothing to do with it! You're _hurt_! Anything could happen with these aftershocks coming so soon after the main quake, including you getting trampled by panicking civilians!"

"I _am_ a ninja."

"_No_."

"Dad, listen . . . I shouldn't have brought it up, but I did. There's nothing for it now. If you go into the village like this, you're only going to worry. I can't go for you because I'm not familiar with the way and Sasuke's mom doesn't know me like she knows you. She'd probably lie to me to try to put you at ease, but you won't know the truth unless you go there yourself and make sure that she's being honest. It'll only take a minute or two--I'll barely be able to make an appearance before you show up."

His father looked at him sharply. ". . . All right. But you stay out of the streets and away from unstable buildings."

_How am I supposed to do that in an **urban area**?_ "Of course."

Arashi had planned to say more, but Naruto had hopped away already and vanished into the village. He sighed and headed on a perpendicular path, sticking close to the outskirts to reach the Uchiha compound without interruption. It also gave him a chance to assess damages from a distance and things were, fortunately, looking good. Some buildings had fallen, but not as many as he had feared. Still, there was the potential for worse damage with more aftershocks no doubt on the way.

The compound was like a ghost town. Shopping bags had been dropped in piles by their owners, spread up and down the length of the main street as if the people had simply vanished. He rushed to Mikoto's house and threw the door open without ceremony.

"Mikoto!"

He checked each room, growing more frantic as he met with nothing over and over.

"_Mikoto_!"

His search ended in the bath. Mikoto was in the far corner, wrapped in her towel, shaking despite the heat. He knelt in front of her and touched her shoulder. "Mikoto."

"Huh?" She blinked, then blinked again as her eyes teared up. "Oh, Arashi . . ." She leaned toward him and he embraced her, soothing her as she sobbed into his shoulder. "Gods, I'm so scared . . ."

"Is everything okay?"

"I keep . . . I keep getting cramps . . ."

"You want me to check on the baby?"

"No . . ."

She was clearly afraid of a bad diagnosis. "Please, Mikoto?"

". . . All right."

He freed one hand to touch her stomach and brush the unborn child with his chakra. "Her heart is racing--she's already picked up on your fear." He looked at her. "Mikoto, I know it'll be hard, but you need to try to calm down; you could cause yourself to go into premature labor if you don't. Can you?"

"I-I . . ." she stuttered anxiously.

"No excuses," he told her in his 'business voice'. Sure enough, it drew the attention of her ninja side immediately, which muted her fear. "You're going to calm down."

She swallowed anxiously, but nodded firmly. "Yes."

It was a bandage, not a cure, but it would hold until he moved her to a safer location. "I want to know where everyone is."

"Um . . ." He urged her to get to her feet and she did so slowly. "Everyone was supposed to gather under the big tree."

"All right, then, let's go." He helped her slip into her yukata, then walked her out into the street. "So where are the ones who didn't go to the tree?"

"The day shift units were all already out, of course, and the back-up left as soon as it was over. The night shift and their back-up left later. Any non-MP ninja who were in the compound headed out also. Fugaku was with me, but he left to check on the boys."

_That would certainly more or less empty out the compound,_ Arashi decided. "I see."

"How's Hotaru?"

"Much better than _I_ was, apparently."

"Good. And the kids?"

"Nyoko's fine--there isn't a scratch on her. A piece of the ceiling fell on Naruto and cut his head, but he seems all right as well."

"Is that what all that blood is?"

Arashi looked down at his overcoat to find the white lapels and parts of both sleeves rust-colored. There was so much blood there and Naruto had even more than that soaking into his clothes . . . _Or it looked that way to me._ "Yes."

"I hope they're both with Hotaru."

"Nyoko is. Naruto---" A distant but piercing whistle reached them and they turned, both recognizing it as a summons to all the ninja in hearing range. "Naruto's in the village, doing me a really big favor."

"Arashi! If he's hurt---"

"Can't tell me anything I haven't told him or myself. I didn't send him, he just _went_."

Another aftershock struck and both focused chakra into their feet and leaned against one another for balance. Mikoto started to hyperventilate and hid her face in Arashi's shoulder. He concentrated on slowing his breathing and heart rate, which would subconsciously encourage her to do the same as well. There was the sound of a building collapsing and Arashi looked around to see a cloud of dust rising into the sky from somewhere in the village.

"Is it just me," he asked when it was over, "or are these things getting worse?"

"They're getting worse," Mikoto agreed, holding his arm so hard that it was beginning to go numb from lack of blood circulation.

They had only taken a few steps when a pair of young women darted around the corner and nearly collided with them. "Mikoto! There you are!"

"What's wrong?" she asked, confused.

"We thought you'd make it on your own, but when you didn't show up we got worried!"

Arashi could not identify either one of them. "Who are you?"

One turned and gave him a skeptical once-over. "Us? We _belong_ here. Who are _you_?"

Arashi felt aggression rise in him at her confrontational tone. _This isn't the time or place to be mouthy to a ninja, sister._ "You _should_ know me," he snapped, "assuming that you actually do live here."

Mikoto put a hand to his chest. "Don't get angry. They're new. Arashi, this is Tsukiko and that's Mimi. They're the newest additions to the family. You remember the double marriage two weeks ago?"

He did remember. He was technically supposed to officiate at weddings and such unless other arrangements had been made, but at the time he had been hammering out the details for a meeting with the other Kage and barely been able to attend the reception between messengers from the other countries. He had only been able to stay for a few minutes, not at all long enough to do more than glimpse the happy couples, and women simply did _not_ look the same when they were in a kimono unless they wore one all the time.

"Tsukiko, Mimi, this is Arashi. He and I were on the same team as genin. I chose to do stay-at-home stuff after I was injured so I never made it past chuunin, but Arashi went straight up like he always said he would." Mikoto paused for effect. "He's the Hokage now."

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

I suppose I have nothing to say for this chapter.

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	24. Leader Material

**Author's Notes:** Chapter twenty-four! A new but familiar face emerges, Naruto is particularly potty-mouthed, and the recent past comes back to bite Naruto on the butt! Also, if you are excited/annoyed/unhappy about the pairing mentioned at the end of this chapter, _please_ read the last entry in "Answers to Questions" before reviewing.

_**Hooray!!**_ _Door Number Two_ has reached both the 100,000 hit mark _and_ the 1,000 review mark! Thank you _all_ for your kind words of encouragement and your gentle critiques! I'm happy to know that _Door Number Two_, even in its imperfection, is worthy of so much affection! I assure you that it will only get better from here, so I hope you'll all continue to read and enjoy!

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 2,985

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 3/21/07

**Disclaimer:** No.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Four - Leader Material

* * *

She had been casual about it, but Mikoto was quite fond of building him up like that to see other peoples' reactions. She did not have the chance to do it often, as he was so well-known, but when she did she milked it for everything it was worth. It was a sibling-like pride that he allowed her to take advantage of because he often did the same when in conversation about how skilled her children were.

As expected, both of the women were almost instantly pale-faced. This went especially for Tsukiko, who had challenged him. Both bowed deeply. "Hokage-sama!"

"Hi," he replied unenthusiastically. "Now's not really the time for that, though. Let's get where we need to be first." The two women led the way to the tree that the other non-ninja women and children had gathered beneath. At the sight of them, Arashi had an idea. "Are there any other ninja here who are on medical leave? No?" Not that he was surprised. "All right, then. In that case I'm putting Mikoto in charge."

"Me?!" Mikoto squeaked.

"Yes, you. And if there are any disagreements, I'd be happy to hear them. Mikoto, go on and settle down."

"But---"

"Go on," he urged, and she obeyed reluctantly as a young teenage girl stormed up to him. "Yes, Chika?"

He knew her because she was _extremely_ vocal. She challenged authority at every possible opportunity; sometimes she had a point and sometimes she was just tantruming. "Hokage-sama, why are you doing this?! We don't need anyone to be in charge! Besides, shouldn't you be in the village helping people who _need_ it?"

Tsukiko and Mimi tried to scold her, but he stopped them. "I already have the village taken care of, first of all, and I'll be heading there shortly. Second, Mikoto is my teammate and a very dear friend. Her condition is tremendously delicate. You knew that, didn't you?"

Chika frowned. "She could have some complications if she's not careful, right? And you putting her in charge won't help that. She needs to _relax_."

He dropped his voice and head, leaning in toward her. "Listen to me for a minute, Chika. Mikoto's potential complications could result in premature labor." Chika paled. "That's the _good_ news. The bad news is that she could die, too. This is a really bad situation for her--she's already suffered some cramps--and if she panics I'm positive that it'll throw her into labor. The only way I can prevent this is to give her something to focus on _other_ than the baby and her current situation. Do you understand? I've put her in charge not because I think the rest of you are disorganized morons, but because she needs to be level-headed and the quickest method of getting her that way is by giving her an assignment and responsibility and appealing to her ninja training, okay?"

". . . Okay. But are you sure she won't stress out more?"

"I doubt it. The rest of you seem quite calm as it is and as long as you don't all get super-frightened _en masse_ I'm sure she'll be fine. Actually, I need you and the others to stay calm to be sure _she's_ keeping calm. She's not watching out for you--you'll be watching out for her. Your behavior will determine hers and, as a result, her health as well. Understand?"

"Yes sir!"

"Good. Take care of her, all right? And do what she says."

"You bet!" Chika skipped off and flopped down beside Mikoto, who was looking quite poised and confident compared to a few moments ago.

Another aftershock struck. Arashi planted his feet and infused them with chakra as he reached out for Tsukiko and Mimi, who were staggering wildly but still managing to keep their feet with unusual skill for non-ninja. "Lean against me!" he shouted, and they did so quickly. When it was over, he frowned at the earth. "They _are_ getting worse."

"That happens sometimes," Tsukiko informed him.

"What?"

"Earthquakes," Mimi explained. "Sometimes, the aftershocks are stronger than the main quake. It's pretty rare, but not unheard of."

Arashi was about to ask them how they knew this, but remembered that they were cousins from Earth Country. Quakes were as common there as volcanic activity and wildfires were in the Fire Country--of course they would have so much information on top of being sure-footed in such an event. "Will they stop?"

"Oh yes," Tsukiko assured him. "I would think they'd start getting weaker now."

"Unless these are lead-ins," Mimi reminded her.

"That doesn't sound good," Arashi noted.

"Well, there have been cases where there was a foreshock--kind of like an aftershock that happens before the actual quake--that was strong enough for people to feel."

"Or it could have been a trigger," Tsukiko mused.

"A what?" Arashi asked, feeling distinctly left-out. Oh sure, there was not a thing that he did not know about volcanoes and fire, but he knew little about the elemental niceties of the other countries that did not immediately pertain to their jutsu. He decided that it was a failing that he needed to remedy as soon as possible.

"A trigger," Tsukiko repeated. "A minor quake that makes the earth around the epicenter _just_ unstable enough to set off a string of ready-to-slip points along the same fault line or a fault line within reach of the quake's force."

"You mean there might be _more_ and they might get worse _still_?"

"Potentially. We won't know until everything settles."

One thing Arashi knew was that in this case, Earth could directly affect Fire. Volcanoes formed at weak points in the earth, but an upheaval of earth might cause an eruption. He would have to send out messengers as soon as possible to warn the villages that had been built at the foot of the country's volcanoes, active or not. He glanced at Mikoto, glad she was as composed as she had been before. "Thank you, ladies. You've been a big help." They bowed and he headed toward the village.

He would need to find Naruto--he had a task for the boy.

* * *

Upon arriving, Naruto had gone straight to the highest point that was inside the walls of the village: the roof of the academy. He whistled as loudly and sharply as he could and within a few minutes he was surrounded by ninja and the MP.

"Where's the Hokage?" they demanded, obviously not expecting to see _him_.

"He's on his way," Naruto replied. "Now listen up---"

"Hey!" someone snapped. "There are people who need saving! I can't---"

"No fuck, dipshit!" Naruto snarled, quelling the rising agreements with the force of his fury alone. "And if you'd shut the hell up and listen you could get to saving them a damn sight faster than you will if you keep bitching just because I'm not my dad!"

Startled silence answered him.

"All right, first I need Sasuke and Itachi--if either or both of you guys are here--to stick around for a bit after this. Second, I want all civilians to be directed here. The academy's built for way more physical abuse than an earthquake." Despite the situation, he was rewarded with a small round of laughter. "Any wounded are to be taken to the hospital, of course, and for now just mark the dead and leave them where they are. I want all of the genin teams here to organize the civilians coming in into the classrooms. I'm sure you can take care of any minor injuries that turn up. And before you even complain, this is a very big job--if any of them panic or get cabin fever you'll have your hands full."

He looked around thoughtfully. "Okay---!"

Another aftershock struck and he reeled, but hands from all sides supported him until he got his feet beneath him.

"Okay," he repeated when it was over, "I have no further instructions. Go about rescues in the best way you see fit and try not to endanger yourselves more than necessary. Don't worry about counting the dead until we've saved the living. Scram!"

The ninja dispersed obediently, leaving behind three.

"Kakashi-sensei?"

"Didn't know you had it in you, kid," the jounin told him with a proud smile, dropping a hand on his head. "Good work. Your dad's going to hear about your mouth, though."

"Don't waste your breath. He already knows I have it."

"I'll tell him--just in case."

"What, you think I'm a liar?"

"Nyoko's a liar. What's stopping _you_?"

Naruto snorted and turned to the other two remaining ninja. "Ah, Sasuke, Itachi. I'm glad you're both here."

"Is there something you need?" Itachi questioned.

"My dad's checking on your mom right now. So if you see him around here, you can ask him how she is, okay?" They nodded, looking a little lighter-hearted than they had. "That's all, so you can go if you want." They nodded again, saluted, and would have left if another shock had not shaken the village once more. Both of them grabbed him and the three of them steadied one another until it was over. Then the two brothers were gone.

"Well that was sweet of you."

"Why are you still here?" Naruto asked. "Shouldn't you be helping save people?"

"Are you kidding?" Kakashi shot back. "I saw you alone. I'm required by The Law to stay with you at least until someone else who is also responsible for you shows up."

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "By 'The Law', I'm assuming you mean Dad?"

"He's my teacher. Whether or not he was Hokage he would be The Law, just with less oomph if he weren't. You've seen it--your dad can be scary when he wants."

_That's true._ Even so, he prodded, "You're chicken."

"Hey, I like you. I don't want anything to happen to you. If that means following you around like a brainless slug, so be it."

Naruto sighed. "Are your parents okay?"

Kakashi tilted his head. "They're fine. Why?"

"What about Iruka-sensei?"

"He's fine."

"And his parents?"

"They're fine too."

"And your other friend? Obito?"

"He and his parents are fine as well."

"Good."

"_Why_?"

"If you're going to follow me around like a lost puppy I want you on your toes."

". . . Right."

Naruto headed off to make appearances. It was a good thing he had done all that research and play-acting as Hokage when he was a kid or he would probably have had less of an idea of what he was doing than he already did. He stopped in each district to reorganize inefficient rescue efforts, help people get to a safer area and reunite with family, or simply offer someone a bit of comfort and reassurance. He even managed to save someone's toddler from the path of a collapsing wall. He had not done it for thanks--he had not expected any, really--but the woman to whom the kid belonged smothered him in grateful kisses.

Not everyone was so happy, though.

"You moron!" Kakashi snapped, punching him sharply in the head. "I almost suffered heart failure because of you!"

"Don't hit me, Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto snapped back, punching his teacher in the ribs with one hand while holding his head in the other. "Can't you see I'm injured?!"

"That's my point exactly!"

In the next district, Naruto found Sasuke, Itachi, their father, and two other men pulling up some rubble from a house. Ino was standing nearby with her mother, looking on in worry. He went over to her and touched her shoulder, causing her to turn tear-filled eyes on him.

"Ino, what's wrong?"

"Oh, Naruto-sama!" She collapsed against him with a frightened sob and for a moment he was lost as to what to do--the Ino he knew would only have acted this way with Sasuke--but he finally hugged her. In a choked voice, she explained, "Sakura and her mother were inside when the house fell!"

Naruto's first instinct was to lunge into the house's remains to help search, but Kakashi put a hand on his shoulder before going in his place and he reluctantly settled down. "We'll find her, Ino."

"Naruto-sama?"

He turned. "Oh, hi, Hinata. What're you doing here?"

The Hyuuga heir was looking a little dusty, but did not appear hurt. "I've been helping look through fallen buildings for people and offering basic medical aid to those who need it. On that note, though, are you okay?"

"Huh?"

"Your head."

"Oh, that. Yeah, I'm fine. Hey, can you help find two people in here?"

"Sure, but I'll need a leg-up to get high enough to see down."

"Um . . ." Naruto looked around, but did not trust the other buildings to withstand more destabilizing weight. "I'll do it if you get a running start." He handed Ino off to her mother, then crouched slightly and laced his fingers together, offering them as a step.

Hinata backed across the street, activated her Byakugan, and ran at him. She stepped into his hands and applied chakra to her feet for a boost. He flung her upward, affording her what he hoped was enough time in the air to see. Her eyes skimmed over the ruins and she quickly pointed to two locations roughly half way across the house from one another. "There and there!"

Those who were already searching through the house's remains split up to look in the indicated areas. In minutes, a woman with dark pink hair was pulled from the twisted masses of wood and she was brought to the relative safety of the street.

A soft crackling reached him and he tilted his head, trying to pinpoint it with his fox-enhanced ears. _It sounds like overstressed wood, but from this distance it really could be just about anyth---_

There it was again.

Naruto looked out over the wreckage of the house. Sasuke was the only one moving and a third creak corresponded with the shift of the Uchiha's weight from one foot to the other. It was entirely possible that the other boy was walking right into a weak area and had no idea he was doing it. "Sasuke, stop!"

The dark-haired boy obeyed. "Naruto-sama?"

"That area's weak! Get off of it!"

"Weak?" He looked down. "How do you know?"

"I can hear it, duh!" _Stubborn fucking **bastard**_._ I take it back--he's as 'normal' as my Sasuke; as in, 'not at all'. **All** Sasukes are the **same**, it's just that some are more polite about their elitism than others._ Naruto ran out to drag him away from the spot, coming to an instant stop when he heard the sharp groan of warping wood. He felt the blood drain from his face and closed his eyes tightly. _Your brilliance is stunning, Uzumaki._ "Shit shit shit . . ." he sing-songed softly, hoping his stillness would save him.

Something below him snapped and he attempted to jump, but a part that had broken was directly beneath his foot. Thrown off balance, he did not have time to regain his footing before he fell into what at one time had been the house's interior. He landed hard on his side, but managed to keep his head up. "Oof!" he coughed, and then muttered at himself, ". . . Grace . . ."

"Naruto-sama!"

He got onto all fours, then sat back on his heels and squinted upward. The top edge was a lot farther away than he had thought it would be. "I'm okay!" he replied, waving. "Sakura's supposed to be around here, so I'll look for her!"

He began to crawl through the fallen beams, ignoring calls for him to come back. To his relief, Sakura had been trapped in a small bubble of sorts, protected by parts of the house. It was a good thing _he_ had been the one to fall into the place, because the spaces were not large enough for anyone who was too much bigger than Sakura. Naruto, for once, was able to appreciate one of the advantages of being shorter and smaller than the average twelve-year-old and slipped with little effort into the bubble. He looked Sakura over and was glad to find that she had only a few bruises and superficial cuts.

"Sakura . . . Sakura, wake up."

"Mm . . ." she whispered dazedly. "Naruto-sama?"

"Yeah. You know, we really should stop meeting in these situations. Come on, we have to get out of here."

She struggled up and he let her use him as a brace. Even with such small injuries on the outside, she could have had more damage done inside. "You've saved me again."

"Actually, it turns out I was the only one small enough to get to you, so I was the only one who could save you."

"The only one? Are there others?"

"Sure. Sasuke and Ita---"

"Sasuke?!" she cried. "Oh, he must be so _worried_ . . .!"

_**That** sounds more like the Sakura I know._ "I guess. Why?"

She stared blankly at him, then said, "Oh, you must not remember, Naruto-sama. Sasuke and I are engaged."

Naruto nearly swallowed his tongue in his attempt to not shout. _Much as I would **love** to grill her for the pertinent and less pertinent information, we really don't have time to chat like this._ ". . . I see. Well, he's waiting for you topside, so let's get going." He pointed her in the correct direction and followed her out.

"Sakura!" Sasuke called with relief, reaching down for her as she climbed up the broken house.

Naruto waited at the bottom so as not to put too much weight on the beams. When Sakura was out of the hole he began to climb up himself, but at that completely inopportune moment the ground shook. Part of the house started to fall and to escape, he fell with it.

_This is **not** funny, goddamnit,_ he snapped with a flash of annoyance rather than any kind of fear._ Why does this shit always happen to me?_ _And why, this time, can't it at **least** be more original than a collapsing building?_

_

* * *

_

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

Don't worry--you will never see Tsukiko, Mimi, or Chika ever again after this chapter. 

---

The earthquake stuff is at least ninety-seven percent accurate. I leave a margin of error because it's been years since my geology class and even more years since my earth science class. I enjoy learning about the planet, though, so I studied hard in those classes and got good grades (whatever that might mean in regards to this chapter).

---

Hey! It's chapter trivia time! Did you notice? Kakashi's parents, as well as Iruka's, are alive. From the way he's speaking, Naruto has obviously met them, but I omitted those scenes. I'll stick them in the deleted scenes after DNT is done.

---

Because of the ruckus raised before, if you are a SasuSaku fan, please _calm down_. If you are _not_ a SasuSaku fan, please _relax_. If you are a SasuAnybodyButSakura fan, please do _not_ complain. Why? Notice that at the top of the chapter under the 'pairing' heading, it still says, "None Intended." I'm not exploring the relationship in the slightest, so I'm not interested in whether Sasuke should or shouldn't be with her because I'm not even indulging my own view of who _I_ think he should be with. I slapped them together _merely_ for the shock value for Naruto (let's face it--even if he saw it coming from four miles away it's automatically more shocking to Naruto than Sasuke being with Ino or TenTen or whomever because both Sasuke and Sakura are both his teammates) and not because I have any intention of them being romantic. _Ever_. No implied sex, no implied kissing, not even _hugging_. Well, I think I may have Sakura hug Sasuke once, but not in a romantic context. It will only be that once, a _long_ time from now. Please don't tell me you want to see them suck one another's face off--I am just not going to do it.

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	25. Opinionated

**Author's Notes:** Chapter twenty-five! The Fourth may as well just start dying his hair grey right now. You know--to get it over with.

Thanks to **Niana Kuonji** for her Lady Luck comment, which I have nipped for Naruto's abusive use.

To **Lachwen**: No one else will be crossing into the parallel universe, but I do have plans regarding something like that for later. The earthquakes aren't natural, but they are not deliberate, either.

To **this story makes my eyes bleed** (or I presume that's the name offered): I think you're lying. I think you _love_ this story, otherwise you wouldn't have been so incredibly out of your mind as to waste your time reading all twenty-four chapters before deciding that Naruto was being a baby--you should have seen that and stopped at chapter ten to tell me so if it bothered you that much. Of _course_ it would have cleared up a lot of stuff if he'd told the truth right away . . . assuming that everyone was so blindly trusting as to actually _believe_ him without question, and I don't think ninja are that stupid or they'd all be dead. Would _you_ believe a kid who claimed he came from another universe? Of course not, because people who claim to come from another world are considered _crazy_ and are _locked away_, which means no getting back home if the person really _is_ telling the truth.

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 3, 201

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 3/24/07

**Disclaimer:** No.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Five - Opinionated

* * *

Everywhere Arashi went, he found organized crews composed of both civilians and ninja digging up bodies of the dead and living, reuniting families, and pairing unsupervised children with adults who would look out for them until a parent was found.

"Ah, Hokage-sama!" a senior jounin called, breaking away from a group to speak to him. "We were told you were on your way. How is Lady Hotaru?"

"She's fine, thank you. How are things going here?"

"Very well, sir. I'm happy to report that while injuries are high, serious injuries are few."

"How many are dead?"

"We don't know yet, sir. Naruto-sama told us not to bother with counting the dead until all the living had been saved and we're still pulling people from collapsed buildings."

That was a bit of wisdom he had not expected Naruto to possess. "I suppose he's been handling things in my absence?"

"I haven't seen him for quite a while, but I would say so. Your son is well-trained to be so capable in this kind of situation, Hokage-sama."

Arashi nodded a silent thanks, wishing he could take the credit or that he could say it had been the Third's influence. Yet there was no sign that it was anything other than Naruto's own self-discipline--however he must have stumbled across it in his solo training. He gazed around, wondering if he should add on to or clarify any of Naruto's commands, but was stopped by a tug on his coat. A girl who was not too much older than Nyoko held her arms up to him and he obediently reached down to pick her up. She hugged his neck and he cuddled her briefly--"It'll be okay, sweetheart."--to ease her fearful tension. "Is everything working out well?"

"Like a well-oiled machine, sir."

"Good." He lifted his headset with his free hand. "Keep me updated. I need to find Naruto for another task. And if you can spare anyone to be a messenger, that would be helpful."

"Yes, sir."

"Thank you." He looked at the girl, who blinked back at him blankly. "Well, what am I going to do with you?"

Suddenly, a distant voice called, "_Aneko_!"

The girl squirmed, so he turned toward the voice to see a woman running toward him with an infant boy in one arm. She stopped beside him, panting, and he asked with a smile, "Are you missing someone?"

"I'm so sorry, Hokage-sama!" she gasped. "We were waiting for my husband and she just wandered off!"

"Yes," he mused, "they tend to do that at the worst possible times. Unfortunately, they never seem to grow out of it. Have you seen my son, perchance?"

"No, Hokage-sama, I haven't. I'm very sorry."

"I have seen him, Hokage-sama," a man who, by the woman's reaction, was her husband said calmly. "Only briefly, though. He saved my niece's life not too long ago."

"Which direction was he headed?"

"Here, I'll take her. He seemed to be going east."

Arashi handed the girl to her father. "Thank you very much."

He bowed. "Thank you, Hokage-sama."

Arashi hurried east, keeping his eyes tuned for a thatch of blond hair or a streak of orange. He did not find either of those, but he did find a mess of silver hair. "Kakashi!"

The jounin turned and waved. "Sensei!"

He came to a stop by his student. "Have you seen Naruto?"

"Yes." Kakashi pointed across the wreckage of the house they stood by. "I was with him up until just now, when he went after the Uchiha boy claiming he could hear the wood giving out. He ended up getting himself dropped into the house and even though we told him to come back he said he was going after Sakura. None of us are small enough to chase him, so we've been waiting for him to come back out."

"The house hasn't shifted, has it?"

"Not since he first fell, no. Believe me, if it had I wouldn't be standing here."

Sasuke's relieved shout drew their attention. "Sakura!"

Sakura, filthy but otherwise looking little the worse for wear, cleared the edge of the hole, fell happily into Sasuke's arms, and started to cry. Sasuke held and comforted her, but some of his attention remained on the hole. There was a rather gentle tremor, but the house still shifted and collapsed a bit more, raising a cloud of dust.

Then, naturally, it began to rain.

Hard.

"Naruto-sama!" Sasuke cried, leaning over the hole worriedly.

Arashi was there almost instantly, trying to peer through the dust. "Naruto?!"

By the time the dust had mostly cleared, Itachi and Fugaku had gotten Sasuke and Sakura into the relative safety of the street. Arashi and Kakashi were still bent over the hole, unable to see where anything had fallen until the dust was completely gone. Its absence revealed a patch of sunny blond at the bottom.

"_Naruto_!" Arashi leaped into the hole without a second thought, landing a short distance away. A split-second survey of the situation told him that Naruto was being pinned to the ground by his shoulders--the house was crushing him slowly; it was a miracle he had survived it at all. Arashi briefly considered using a rasengan to cut through the wood and relieve the pressure, but that was tempered by the thought that doing such a thing would potentially destabilize the entire portion of the house and cause it to collapse on Naruto all at once, which would definitely have a survival rating of zero.

Stupid as it seemed, the only other idea he had was to lift everything altogether.

"Sensei! What are you doing?!"

"Just stay there, Kakashi! I might need your help in a minute!" That was a lie--he was not planning to drag Kakashi into the ordeal unless he had to. He knelt by Naruto and listened to the boy's weak, pained wheezes. "Naruto? You conscious?"

"Dad . . ." An arm stretched out slowly and Arashi took hold of it reassuringly. "I . . . can't breathe . . ."

"I know. I'm going to get you out of here. It'll probably hurt, but hang on just a little longer, okay?"

"'Kay."

Arashi kissed his son's forehead gently and then got to his feet, looking over the tangle of beams again. There was a beam a short distance above the one that lay across Naruto, so Arashi fit his shoulders under it, applied as much chakra as he could, and lifted. The dust beneath his feet had gotten wet and turned to mud, not allowing him decent footing; he must have twisted both ankles in the effort, but he was not about to let Naruto die. His child's weakening breaths could, somehow, be heard over the patter of the rain and the sound tore at him.

Naruto, upon feeling the beam leave his shoulders, began to scrabble at the ground and drag himself out of the way even though the rush of oxygen to his brain had blinded him. He sank to the ground once he decided he had cleared the beam and coughed until his chest hurt. There was a soft bang, then shaking hands touched his back. It should have been considerably more difficult than that even with the aid of chakra, but neither blond was going to complain.

_The house was probably on the verge of falling apart--half of the buildings in the village are so old and worn that one would expect a good stiff breeze to knock them down. The rest are much newer and mostly genin-proof._ Naruto sighed to himself. _I'm such a lucky fuck . . ._

Arashi began to examine him. "You okay, Naruto?" _Cracked scapulae, fractured clavicle, splintered ribs . . . It's a wonder his lungs weren't punctured._

"Yeah," he coughed and looked up dazedly. "Are you hurt?"

"It's just adrenalin. Come on."

Naruto was shaking as much as Arashi was, though for a different reason entirely. Arashi knew Naruto would have a hard time climbing when his muscles undoubtedly ached from being forced to move without the proper amount of oxygen, so climbing up himself was out of the question. With his own ankles injured, though, he would need both his arms to climb. After several minutes of deliberation, Arashi finally knelt and instructed, "Piggyback." Naruto obediently hopped into place and he hefted his son's weight, then reached for the wall of beams. Arashi began to climb slowly, his ankles protesting the demand for support of an extra ninety-odd pounds though Naruto was doing his best to help by being as still as possible, even when he began to slide lower. Eventually, Arashi paused and reached back with one arm to offer some support as he said, "Readjust."

Naruto complied. The shift of weight, however, caused an already overstressed right ankle to slip completely off the rain-slickened wood. Hot pain lanced through both of Arashi's ankles as the one bent upward sharply and the other, suddenly burdened with all the weight, simply gave out. He tried to twist so as to not fall on Naruto and expected to hit the ground face-first, but in the next moment felt a sharp pain in his arm and shoulder.

Startled, he looked up and found his right hand grasped tightly in both of Naruto's. The boy was hanging upside-down, his knees locked around a vertical beam. _How the hell . . . ?_ Confused, he asked, ". . . Naruto?"

"_Kakashi-sensei_!" Naruto shouted urgently.

"Already here," Kakashi answered calmly from beside them.

"Get Dad!"

Arashi would have protested this, except he had no argument. Naruto could not be moved unless _he _was moved first. He draped his arms over Kakashi's shoulders and held on, finding a viable protest when Naruto was left behind. "Don't _leave_ him there!"

"I'll be okay, Dad," Naruto assured him, righting himself and then climbing after them slowly and with pain.

Naruto collapsed gratefully into his father's arms when he cleared the edge of the hole and closed his eyes. _Things just went so utterly wrong, as they tend to do in my presence, thanks to Lady Luck and her fucking Hammer of Doom. One day I'm going to kill that psychotic bitch._ _And why the hell didn't **you** do anything, lazy Fox-bastard?_

Kyuubi snorted. _For your information, boy, since you obviously haven't thought about this, it's very dangerous for either of us to use my chakra in this body. Even if it weren't, blowing up part of the house to get free would only have resulted in **more** of the house falling on us. I'm not going to let you die, but I'm not going to take an unnecessary risk, either._

Ready to ask what that was supposed to mean, Naruto was interrupted by his father. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, but you aren't."

"It's minor."

Naruto really did not want to argue about what a major issue barely being able to walk was, so he let it go.

"Would you like me to help, Hokage-sama?" Hinata asked.

"Oh, hello, Hinata," Arashi greeted with rather inappropriate cheer for the situation. "Yes, help would be most appreciated, thank you."

"You should go home," Kakashi advised. "We can take care of the rest here."

"No, it's okay. I'll take Naruto back to Hotaru and then return to supervise rescue efforts and cleanup."

"You really should stay off your feet, Hokage-sama," Hinata told him as she finished healing his right ankle and moved to his left. "I can heal the damage, but the tenderness will still be there. I don't suppose that it really matters if you don't mind limping about the village, but it might frighten and distract others."

"_Go home_," Kakashi stage-whispered.

Annoyed, Arashi pushed his student's face away. "If you're all going to be like this, then I'll go home. Gods, it's not like I'm crippled."

"No, you're not," Hinata agreed. "You'll be just fine by tomorrow afternoon, or perhaps sooner than that, _if_ you take it easy today."

"You sound like Rin."

The ground trembled, but it was far, far weaker than it had been any time before. Naruto still clutched at Arashi's arm and Arashi held him close. "It's okay," he murmured soothingly into the short, muddy blond hair. "It's okay now."

Naruto was not scared--only startled--but all the same did not protest the gentle cosseting. At that point, he wanted merely to go to bed and sleep for the next three months. _Seriously, why does bad shit happen to me all the time?_

_You're just that fortunate,_ Kyuubi snickered

He growled in exhaustion. "That was uncalled for."

"What, Naruto?" Arashi asked, leaning down.

"Nothing, Dad. Just talking to myself." _And my obnoxious asshole of a tenant._

_Look at it this way,_ Kyuubi pointed out. _It's quite likely this little infant would be dead by now if it weren't for us. His body is privileged by our presences._ The fox paused, then decided with gleeful sadism, _Or by **mine**, anyway._

_Maybe . . . except that the other me is clearly too chickenshit to **ever **do things like this, so whether or not he's **that** privileged is a matter of opinion._

_True--and my opinion is worth far more than yours._

_**Any** opinion from **anyone** is nothing more than pretty words until it's backed up with hard facts, jackass--you know that. So prove **both** of your opinions, because even if **you** consider your presence a privilege, **I** don't, and I don't think your opinion is worth two shits, either._

_As if I care about your opinion of my opinion?_

_Circular argument,_ Naruto warned, knowing that the fox hated them--not that he had any lost love for them himself--and that they would get into an incredible screaming fit if they went on, which was not what he needed people to be witness to at that point. _Not worth discussing._

Hotaru was doing quite well, they discovered upon returning home. She had been moved into a large tent with multiple 'rooms' and mesh windows. Hitomi sat close to keep her company and Nyoko played quietly nearby while Aya directed the other girls in performing various tasks. When the motherly cook saw them, she shouted, "Takako, draw up a hot bath!"

"Are you two all right?!" Hotaru cried.

They nodded and Arashi said, "Naruto's had a pretty bad day, but we're fine."

"Off to the bath with you!" Aya commanded, appearing from nowhere and herding them away. "Look at how filthy you both are! Neither of you are setting foot in that tent until you get yourselves cleaned up!"

The water was very hot, even after sitting while they washed all the dirt away, and found sore spots Naruto had not been aware he had. ". . . Ow . . ."

Arashi chuckled. "Ditto."

It did start to feel pretty good, though, and Naruto rested his chin on the edge of the bath and closed his eyes. The next thing he knew, his throat and chin were impacting the water and the surface tension caused the tender skin to sting. For a moment he thrashed and dunked his face beneath the water, but finally he came up and groaned.

Arashi laughed tiredly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Did I fall asleep?"

"You must have. I know I had until you made so much noise."

He groaned again.

Arashi splashed the water beside him lightly. "Come here--you can lean on me so you won't fall in again."

Somehow, Arashi had submerged himself until the water was up to just beneath his chin. Naruto shook his head. "No thanks."

"I know it looks unsteady, but it's not."

He really did not want a repeat of what had just happened, but he did not want to get out of the water yet. ". . . If I drown, I'll haunt you until you die."

Arashi looked sick at the thought. "I _won't_ let you drown, Naruto."

Naruto crawled over and started to settle next to Arashi, but was stopped at the last instant for an examination. He tried to not appear impatient. _Didn't he do this earlier, when I was in perfectly good condition then, too?_

_If you would think more, you wouldn't be such a moron,_ Kyuubi said, but offered no further explanation.

Arashi frowned. _I know his scapulae were cracked--I **know** they were . . . And his clavicle and ribs had more damage than this . . ._ ". . . Naruto?"

"Yeap," Naruto answered vacantly, not even bothering to make it a question.

Arashi studied his face. _He doesn't know. He **can't** know--he doesn't have the experience. A genin doesn't do enough life-threatening things to know how quickly the body does or doesn't heal. What the hell **is** it?_ ". . . Never mind. Lie down."

_Note to self: Don't mention self dying in front of Dad--induces need for him to be Mommy instead._ Naruto eased into the water, resting his head on his father's muscular shoulder. He kind of missed seeing that same strength when he looked in the mirror, since in this body he still had a layer or two of baby fat that had yet to be worn away and that for the time being did much to conceal how toned his body was. It was more an aesthetic thing, though; he could just monitor his muscle mass better if he could see more of it.

He sighed and closed his eyes again.

"_Up_, boys!" Aya barked almost immediately. "The water's not going to be doing you any good much longer!"

Naruto flinched at the volume of her voice, wondering what she meant, when he realized the water was lukewarm and not hot. Blinking sleepily, he looked around to see that it was nearly night. He yawned and sat up, rubbing one eye and twitching in surprise when a towel appeared in front of his face. "Oh, thanks . . . Shinju!"

"Yes?"

He pointed. "The cat!"

She looked at the kitten she cradled in one arm. "Mister Kakashi found her wandering around by the apartment building. It collapsed, Naruto-sa---Naruto."

She still occasionally attempted to tack '-sama' to his name, though she had progressed to calling his father Arashi-sama. She was allowed to do it only because she was comfortable that way and she was slowly getting better about leaving the '-sama' off. "Crap. All my weapons are still in there."

"Mister Kakashi said that he would get them for you once all of the villagers had been accounted for."

Naruto nodded. "I'll help more tomorrow." He yawned again and, while Shinju turned herself away, wrapped the towel around his waist as he stood. He climbed out of the bath and let Shinju direct him over to a little changing area that had been set up, where he pulled on some fresh clothes and discovered upon returning that Shinju was having a very hard time waking his father, who snoozed on obliviously.

"Should I get some cold water?" she asked.

He shook his head in answer. "No. Throwing cold water on someone only shocks the nervous system and causes the heart and brain to panic. It's not healthy no matter how old or young the victim is." He paused for a moment, thinking that concept through. "On the other hand, yes, get me a bucket of cold water."

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

Yes, a person can survive a house falling on them. It's not likely, but it's possible if the crushing weight has decent distribution (in the same way a person would lie on thin ice rather than stand on it). In South Korea, people survived having five stories and hundreds of thousands of tons of steel and concrete fall on them. One woman survived for a _week_, buried in it.

---

For those not as scientifically inclined, scapulae are your shoulder blades and the clavicle is your collarbone. I figure that ninja, especially if they know medical techniques, would know and use the scientific names of the body's parts.

---

Do _not_ throw cold water on someone who's sleeping. Or even someone who's awake, really. Use warm or lukewarm water if you must, but not cold or freezing, and definitely never on the face. It's an incredible shock. When the face of any mammal is suddenly submerged in water or caught in a freezing environment, every one of the body's major systems slows nearly to a halt, which minimizes the need for oxygen and increases the chances of surviving an underwater emergency. Such a reaction to dousing is what's called the "mammalian diving reflex", which will alarm a person/body and causes the extremities to become virtually useless in a swimming situation. This reflex can be taken advantage of by divers, but only through training--the average person will panic physiologically, and if that person has health problems it could exacerbate them.

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	26. Worse Surprises

**Author's Notes:** Chapter twenty-six! You people are _evil_, thinking Naruto's so cruel . . .

To **Mist**: No, no more people crossing to the parallelverse. As for crossing to canonverse (by which I assume you mean parallelverse characters only), I have no plans for that in _Door Number Two_. I totally agree about Sakura and Naruto.

To **Lachwen**: I think Kyuubi will always hate Naruto because Naruto is the keeper of the key, as it were, and since the Fourth--the original perpetrator of the crime, one could say--is dead, Naruto is the only other being he can blame (even though it's just as much his own fault). They do get along occasionally, but only for the sake of Naruto not being driven to suicide by what would otherwise be their constant bickering, because _both_ of them are interested in him living for as long as possible--Naruto to be Hokage and get acknowledged and Kyuubi to have time to find a way to freedom. The earthquakes are not _the_ Kyuubi, but you're _very_ close.

To **Miako**: I actually haven't read the later stuff in Naruto. Even though I'm hesitant to say it was about physical contact overall (possibly with one who was originally an enemy, but Sasuke basically carried him back to Tazuna's house in the Wave Country arc) it would still be a nice idea to explore, but I'm not sure there's going to be room for it in this incarnation of _Door Number Two_.

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 3,222

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 3/28/07

**Disclaimer:** Nope.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Six - Worse Surprises

* * *

She obeyed and he lifted the bucket into the water, keeping the water in the bucket from mingling with the warmer water of the bath. "Put his hand in here. Just the one." She did so and within seconds Arashi was awake. Confused, but awake. Naruto greeted him without enthusiasm. "Welcome back, space cadet."

Arashi blinked in non-comprehension and yawned. "Whatsa matter?"

"Aya told us to get out of the bath almost ten minutes ago."

"She did? I didn't hear her."

Naruto stared at him. _He must have really stressed himself out since the quakes._ "Yes, she did. Come on, get up."

"But the water's still warm."

"Dad, it's only going to make your muscles contract if you stay in there until it gets cold and that's counterproductive."

". . . Yeah." He stood up abruptly and Shinju whirled away with a shy squeak, her cheeks red. She held out a towel to Naruto, who handed it to the Fourth. Without looking, his father added, "Oh, hi, Shinju. Are you okay?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. Have there been any more quakes?"

"Very small ones, sir. No more buildings have fallen."

"Fantastic. You made my day, love."

Shinju ducked, her whole face turning red at the endearment.

Arashi got dressed and Shinju, though they could have found their own way, led them to the tent they would be spending the night in. Nyoko had already fallen asleep by the time they returned, but Arashi picked her up anyway and held her. It seemed to ease him, so Naruto did not point out that if Nyoko woke, it would take forever to get her back to sleep.

". . . Hotaru?"

She sighed, but still smiled slightly. "Yes, Arashi, I'm fine. Much better now than I was earlier today, defini---oop. Ow . . ." She flinched, frowned, and rubbed her back. "That was my kidney, you know," she muttered to no one. "I'm _fine_," she said sharply, before Arashi could even open his mouth. "Oh, great. And your hands are full."

"I can put her down."

"Can I try?" Naruto asked before he could silence himself.

Arashi and Hotaru looked vacantly at him, then at one another. Obviously, he had never asked anything like that before. "Sure, sweetie," Hotaru agreed after a moment. "Come over here and sit by me."

He complied quietly. He had seen the ANBU guards do it before and he knew what it was, but had always been concerned about using chakra since his was more or less infused with the chakra of a very powerful demon. He had no idea what effect demonic chakra would have on the baby or Hotaru, so he had never bothered to ask to attempt it before. He did, however, have some chakra that had not mingled at all with or at least contained very little of Kyuubi's. _I can use that, just this once. Even if it's like a cumulative poison I won't do it again after this, so they'll be safe._

Bending down, he put his ear against his mother's expanded stomach and closed his eyes. He was placing his hands to apply the chakra, but before he could even attempt it he noticed something very strange. He sat up and looked at Hotaru's stomach blankly, trying to process the new information.

"Is something wrong, sweetheart?"

He did not answer and Arashi freed a hand from Nyoko to brush the backs of his fingers across Naruto's cheek, just in case he was starting to feel resentful or somehow left out. "Naruto," came the gentle question, "what's the matter?"

Naruto looked at his father, face still blank. "There are two heartbeats."

Hotaru pet him. "Of course there are two heartbeats. I'm alive, aren't I?"

Naruto shook his head. "No, I know that. I mean that I can hear _three_ heartbeats." He pointed at her stomach. "Two of them are here."

Arashi very carefully but still very quickly put Nyoko back down and bent over Hotaru's stomach. ". . . I only hear one."

Naruto placed his ear against his mother's stomach again. The second heartbeat was very quiet; it was probably the angle. He moved his head around his mother's stomach to her side and then nearly back to her spine until the second heartbeat began to come in almost as strongly as the first. "Here."

Arashi crawled over Hotaru's legs and placed his head where Naruto indicated. After a long moment he sat up and ran one hand through his hair. Swallowing several times, all he could say was, "Oh."

"Are you _serious_?" Hotaru asked, and he nodded weakly. She sighed heavily. "Well, that certainly explains quite a bit. Why I'm already so huge, for one. I'm going to go to bed before I faint and I'll just wait until tomorrow to be ecstatic."

It was more than enough news for all of them. Naruto curled up around Nyoko, his back to the tent wall to protect her in the unlikely event they were attacked, and Arashi did the same with Hotaru. Despite the startling news, all of them were exhausted from the day's _other_ startling news--there was no way an earthquake could _not_ be startling--and they quickly fell asleep.

For a while, anyway.

Naruto awakened at what he figured was probably about two in the morning. He looked around the tent to find out what had pulled him from sleep and noticed his father's absence. With a sigh, he got up and left the tent. A guard--Horse--was standing by the door and he looked up at the ANBU. "Was it a bathroom break?"

Horse shook his head and turned toward the cliff.

"Thanks."

He set off for the cliff by himself--the other guard must have gone with the Fourth, in that case--and around a row of hedges he found his father sitting a short distance from the cliff edge, looking as though he had been kneeling properly but then gotten tired of it and let his legs inch out to either side to give his knees a rest. He was staring out over the village, which was being lit up with tall stands of powerful light for the night shift, composed mainly of ninja since they were trained to be able to go without sleep for days at a time. The false daylight made Naruto blink rapidly until his eyes adjusted to it, then he padded over to where his father sat and knelt beside him quietly. It was not always necessary to talk, he had learned from the Third's own example--sometimes it was simply another's presence that made a bad thing bearable.

A hand dropped onto his head and ruffled his hair affectionately. The arm that the hand belonged to then draped across his shoulders and pulled him close for a sideways hug. "Everything okay, Naruto?"

"Fine on this end," he replied pointedly. _I know when something's wrong, old man._

His father sighed and suddenly reached over, grabbing him and pulling him into his lap and a tight hug. It was actually a tight hug that hurt, but Naruto knew what it was like to need to seek reassurance from someone and having nothing but a pillow, if that, to comfort oneself with. He looped his arms around his father's neck and closed his eyes.

"Why?" the Fourth murmured, and Naruto knew that it was not a question directed at him, though any advice he could offer would probably be welcome or the question never would have been posed aloud. "Why am I so afraid of it happening now? I never knew him at all! It's not like he died from a training accident or was killed by an enemy when I was old enough to remember his face and personality! And there's nothing that says it'll happen again in my family just because it happened to my mother! Even if it was something that was genetic, which it isn't, Mom and Hotaru aren't related in the slightest!"

The concept of twins, whether identical or fraternal, had never ceased to fascinate Naruto for some reason. Maybe it was just the idea of actually being that close to someone, which was a luxury he had never had an opportunity for during his childhood. He had done some reading up on it and though there were few studies, what he had learned had only awed him that much more. It was thrilling to know that his father was a twin and a sad shame to know that the other twin, Kayaku, had died.

". . . Just because you don't remember him doesn't mean you've forgotten him," Naruto mused carefully. "Maybe . . . Maybe you _do_ still remember him, but only subconsciously. And I know this is going to sound wild, but maybe you remember him dying, too, and it traumatized you more than you think. Just because you don't remember it doesn't mean it won't affect you." He frowned and clutched at his father's shirt with one hand. "I mean, on Nyoko's birthday, when I saw Mom with her, I felt really lonely. You explained everything to me, but on my own I still can't remember why. That doesn't make what I felt any less real. In fact, it hurts more _because_ I can't remember."

The Fourth drew away from him and brushed Naruto's hair back in concern. "You aren't feeling that way again, are you?"

"Dad, I'm fine. I was just using myself as an example. _Listen_ to me. Nobody, maybe not even _you_, knows how Kayaku-ojisan's death affected you because you've been dealing with it since you were born. You're so used to how his absence makes you feel that you don't notice it. But now you're afraid that one of them will die and you know, subconsciously, how it feels and you don't want either of them to have to go through that like you do every day."

His father looked down at him for a long moment, seeming frazzled and slightly bewildered by what he had said, then hugged him tightly once again, only a tiny step down from outright choking. "Remind me to thank your mother for having a better brain than me and making sure you got hers instead of mine."

Naruto rolled his eyes at that. "Dad, you aren't stupid. Some subjects just need an outside perspective. New thoughts."

"Then I'm glad that I can count on you to provide them when I'm so deep in one of my own holes. I can get so rutted in one thought . . . it's nice to have back-up."

Naruto smiled. "Well, that's what teammates do."

The Fourth returned the smile. "Very true."

* * *

"Are you done ogling yourself, Naruto-sama? Your father's looking for you."

Only Aya would dare speak that casually but respectfully to him. "Yeah, but---"

"Good. Hurry up, now." The cook stepped into the little changing room just long enough to cram something that tasted like strawberries into his mouth. "Be on your way."

Naruto chewed distractedly, well aware his breakfast was still sticking half way out of his mouth. He had taken so long because he had been trying to figure out how to tie the formal robes he was wearing. It turned out that earlier that morning scouts had shown up to inform the Fourth that the other four Kage were going to be arriving in the afternoon. Because of the earthquake, Arashi had forgotten entirely that they were even on their way, so everyone was scrambling to find suitable--_As in not likely to fall apart if a strong wind came along, because that's as good as it's going to get around here for a while_.--accommodations for the Kage and their families. This went especially for the Raikage, who was about Arashi's age but had a brood of about forty billion children, whom Naruto could only pray were well-behaved. Naruto felt rather sorry for the man's wife, who was--_Surprise!_--_very_ pregnant and had still come all the way to Konoha. _That's incredibly stupid--I would **never** make my wife travel that far if she was pregnant._

Even with the village such a mess, the Hokage's family was supposed to dress up to show respect for their esteemed guests. Naruto thought this, also, was stupid, because if they were arriving early in the afternoon then they had been around to feel the earthquake and its aftershocks from the day before and it was only fair of them to expect--or at least _accept_--that a _good_ Hokage and his family would be far too involved in seeing to the well-being of the people beneath them to worry about showing up in formal wear. _I am **totally** making sure this garbage isn't part of the rules back home._

Naruto, however, was not the Hokage and his father was. This meant that when his father told him to put his fancy-shmancy clothes on, Naruto would go and do it if he wanted to be able to sit down without pain for the next few months. His mother had agreed to help him since he told her he could not remember how to put the robes on, but Hitomi had called for her not long before to help her get Nyoko into her kimono--_Which is even stupider than having to dress up the day after a natural disaster. She's **three**, for gods' sakes._--and so he had been left to take care of himself. He had been waiting for his mother to come back when Aya had appeared and sent him off to find his father, which led to where he was right then; wandering randomly around the main compound in search of the Fourth.

Fortunately, his father was as blond as he was, so it did not take as long to find him as it could have. "Dad!" he called around his breakfast, though even to his ears it sounded more like a desperate, "Mm!"

Despite that, his father turned. "Naruto! There you are!" He stared. ". . . You aren't even dressed!"

Naruto raised one arm into the air so the too-long sleeve would fall back over his hand, then grabbed whatever was in his mouth and bit off a chunk of it as he pulled it away. Something bright red dripped from what he could at last see was a muffin. Before he could even move, Arashi had stretched a hand out and caught the wayward splash.

The Fourth licked the jelly-like substance from his hand and tasted it. "Strawberry, huh? Mine was peach. But you really shouldn't be eating in those clothes, especially something like this. It'll stain, you know."

"Aya made me," he grumbled around the bread.

His father made a flat-handed shoving motion. "One of those?" Naruto nodded. "I guess I can't blame you. She'd whip you if you spit it out. Just try not to make a mess."

As if Iruka had not said such things to him before. _It must be an adult thing._ "Aya told me you were looking for me."

"You're no good to me if you aren't dressed."

Naruto examined his father's attire critically. The deep wrinkles proved it was the same set of clothes he had slept in last night. "You aren't dressed either."

"I have an excuse."

"So do I," he countered. "I can't remember how to tie it. Mom was going to help, but Hitomi needed her to help with Nyoko and she didn't get back before Aya found me."

His father sighed sadly. "All right, turn around." Naruto complied and could feel the tugs as the various strings and ribbons were pulled tight and tied. "Good grief. I thought your mother was going to get this tailored so it would fit you right . . ."

"You mean I look like a girl."

"Naruto, you're just going to have to get over it. There isn't _time_ right now."

"Yeah, yeah. What do you need me to do?"

There was a final tug. "Okay." He turned around to look up at his father. "I'm worried that the earthquake might set off some of the volcanoes near the coast. There are many villages in the paths of past lava flows, so I've been trying to organize messengers to alert the people in those villages. I managed to get that done, but as you pointed out, I'm not dressed and because of that I have a super-giant favor to ask of you. I need you to go to the gates and bring the Kage here so I _can_ get dressed. Can you do that for me?"

Naruto shrugged. "Sure. Where should I take them? The meeting room?"

"My office. The meeting room's ceiling fell in. It's all set up and I plan to be there by the time you arrive, so you don't have to entertain them or anything. I _will_ need you to help your mother take their families to the appropriate places, though."

"All right."

His father kissed his forehead warmly. "Thank you, Little Fox. You have no idea how much this helps me."

Naruto watched the Fourth disappear into the relatively stable house, still shouting last-minute orders at people. With an entourage of ANBU waiting for him to lead, he made his way through the village to the gates, which were just about to be opened. He congratulated himself for timing it so well--no having to wait, but he would still be able to get the full effect of the breeze that always came in when the gates were opened. _Because these robes are **hot**, damn it._

The Kage stepped through the newly opened gates and Naruto bowed briefly, barely keeping down a growl as they looked around nosily. Maybe things were different there, but he was used to the other Kage being vultures and finding ways to take advantage of the smallest weakness. He did not like that they were seeing Konoha in such a shape. He was pleased to note, however, that the Raikage's children at least _appeared_ to be well-behaved, though they also appeared to be a bit on the snobbish side, considering how they took in their surroundings.

"Welcome to Konoha, Kage-sama," he greeted as diplomatically as he could manage. "I deeply apologize for the condition of our village."

The Konoha ninja who had escorted the four Kage in were seeing their home for the first time and trying not to look alarmed. They were doing a pretty good job of it, he had to admit, and was glad he had a new escort so they could go find their families and friends.

"We are already aware of what happened here," the Tsuchikage told him. "Explanations are not necessary."

Naruto bowed again. _You know more about earthquakes than I could hope to, I'm sure, so I appreciate that._ "Then please follow me."

"Where is your father, boy?" the Mizukage demanded.

"The Hokage sends his sincerest regrets that he could not meet you here," Naruto replied, wondering if this counted as one of the Tsuchikage's 'explanations' that supposedly did not need to be given. _**Obviously**, if the Hokage isn't here it's because he's busy with the village's issues. He has more respect for you geezers than to ignore you over something trivial._ "He will meet all of you in his office for your conference."

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

Has anybody ever seen that ad on TV? I think it's for Jack Links beef jerky (if you don't/can't watch North American television, you may not be familiar with it) where the two guys put Bigfoot's hand in the bucket of water while he's sleeping. I actually wrote the hand-in-bucket scene long before that ad, but now every time I read that part I think of the Jack Links ad, primarily because my mind insists on remembering only the stupidest things.

---

_**SURPRISE!!**_ Hotaru's having _twins_!

---

I'm not sure about identical twins, but fraternal twins do at least _seem_ (I don't think there's been an incredible long-term study done on it) to be a genetic thing, hence Arashi's comment about his mother and Hotaru not being related.

---

From what I've been reading, a surviving wombtwin (the term for twins in utero, particularly when one dies before birth and is either absorbed by the mother or by the remaining twin) or a twinless twin (the term for a twin who lost his/her twin during or after birth) may actually suffer from survivor's guilt and have a fear of death even though he or she can't remember--possibly may not even know of--the other twin.

---

Yeah, all of you germophobes, the Fourth technically ate after Naruto and any slobber he may have left on the strawberry filling. Believe me, that's incredibly tame compared to what _my_ father did when my sisters and I were little (grosses me out just hearing my mom reflect on it).

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Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	27. Second Son

**Author's Notes:** I have decided that this is my April Fools' Day joke on you all. I thought about telling you I wasn't going to post any more, but then I figured I'd get my head ripped off for it, so I just delayed posting instead. Thus I present--without further delay--chapter twenty-seven, for which many of you have been so very deeply waiting for.

More **_fanart!!_** Three pretty pieces by the talented **Lizeth**! The first two are actually the same picture (the Fourth helping Naruto with his formal robes), but the first, at ww w.deviantart. com/deviation /51941718, is line art while the second, at ww w.deviantart. com/deviation /51978498, is a color version. The third image is sketches of various unrelated scenes, at ww w.deviantart. com/deviation/52029417. _Take a look!_

To **Lachwen**: That's _awful_--you shouldn't wish death on people, even if they deserve it (not like I have a lot of room to talk . . .). Naruto is not a twin himself, though I'm sure the whole of Konoha breaks out in hives just thinking about the possibility. And yes, it is nice to not have to wait.

To **tot**: I already have plans for something like that, don't worry.

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 3,600

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 3/31/07

**Disclaimer:** Nope.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Seven - Second Son

* * *

As he had promised, the Fourth was waiting in his office for them. Naruto stepped aside to let the other four Kage in, taking a moment to see his father dressed, for the first time, in the Hokage's robes. He could not stop the brief swell of pride at the resplendent sight, even if the Fourth _did_ look a little funny with his hair squashed flat like that. Whether or not the rest of his world knew, _he_ knew that he had 'royal' blood.

His father was the Fourth Hokage--a hero.

_Too bad nobody would believe me if I told them . . ._

The five Kage, ranging in age from thirty to sixty-five, sat down and though none of them were looking at him--had probably forgotten that he was even there--he bowed before exiting and hurried to catch up with his mother, who was showing the Kages' families to their temporary homes. His father had not wanted her to do it because she was pregnant, but she had quickly told him that if the Raikage's wife--who was _so close_ to giving birth--could make a journey that far, then the least she could do for the woman was show her where to rest her poor spine.

His father had continued to protest that she was missing his intended point entirely and while Naruto understood what his father was getting at, he said nothing to help because he knew that his mother was going to win the argument due to his father's desire to keep his mother in the dark. Naruto, however, had every intention of keeping a very close eye on his mother. With all of the Kage in one place, it was possible that the clerics--though they had all but vanished from the eyes of the MP--would try something, whether it was in an effort to get only one person or just to make a general statement.

No innocents would be harmed under his watch.

_Of course, aside from keeping my eyes and ears open, what else could I do?_

Unless it was some worthless run-of-the-mill assassin, without weapons and possibly without the use of Kyuubi's chakra he knew he would be more a hindrance than a help to the dozen or so ANBU who had come along as bodyguards to the Kages' families. Besides, Kakashi--no, _Dog_, because this was an ANBU assignment for him--was watching over his mother and Nyoko and of all ninja who could have been chosen, Naruto was willing to trust their care to him.

_. . . Is someone tapping me on the shoulder?_

"Hello," was the polite but decidedly enthusiastic greeting.

Naruto turned around to face the speaker and could not help but stare. _He looks so **weird** without all that dark skin around his eyes._ The tattoo was absent as well, as was the grim frown Naruto was so used to. In fact, the kid looked downright freaky to Naruto simply because he was so _normal_ and, beyond that, _smiling_. ". . . Gaara?"

The boy blinked. "Have we met before?"

_Smooth move,_ Kyuubi snorted.

_Shut up_. "Um, no, we haven't. But my father has mentioned you before. I recognized you from his description."

_Nice save._

_Shut **up**, Fox._

"Ah," Gaara acknowledged. "I am glad, then, because I've wanted to meet you."

"Really?" Naruto asked, bewildered. "Why?"

"Your father always told stories of you when he made trips to Wind Country. He said we were the same age and it's odd, but it seems that in Suna, everyone is either considerably older or considerably younger than I am. I was wondering if you would be interested in a short sparring match later."

Naruto grinned. He could not recall ever fighting Gaara for no reason and while the table would certainly be different, since Gaara clearly did not contain Shukaku here and thus did not have his gourd either, it would still be fun. Responsibility came back to him, however, and he sighed. "I wish I could, Gaara, but with the village the way it is . . . I just can't."

It was shocking how pathetically downcast Gaara could look. _He must have a fan club as big as Sasuke's back home if he does that often enough in public._ "Oh, yes. I understand. I should have thought of that before."

Naruto frowned thoughtfully. "Well . . . if you're willing to take a little bit of your safety into your own hands, you can come with me when I go into the village."

"Really?" was the painfully hopeful reply.

_I think I'm going to puke from all the **sweetness** radiating off this boy_. "Why not?"

"No," a new voice inserted.

Naruto turned and pleaded automatically, "But _Mom_ . . ."

"I said _no_, Naruto. The village is way too dangerous right now. I wouldn't even let _you_ go down there except that your father needs your help."

_It's frightening how easily that godawful **whine** came out of my mouth. I must be losing what little maturity I had before this._ "Mom, we're _ninja_. Besides, we're only going to be surveying things and making sure any remaining rescue efforts are well-organized. The earthquakes have stopped--the likelihood of anything happening to us is low, all things considered."

"_No_."

Gaara suddenly turned and appealed to his own mother. "Mom? _Please_?"

She looked at him fondly, but said, "I doubt your father would agree."

"Aw, let the pipsqueak go," came the aid from an unlikely source. "Dad shelters him too much. It'd do him some good to get down and dirty with civilians."

Gaara's mother turned. "What's your purpose for this sudden goodwill, Kankurou?"

The older boy snorted. "I'm just tired of being the one who has to go out all the time and do things with the civilians. Gaara has the perfect attitude for that kind of stuff, but Dad thinks someone'll take advantage of him. If he can get practice in now, he can show Dad how savvy he is at it later."

Gaara's mother turned to a teenage girl with sandy blond hair that hung to her shoulders in a short trim. "Temari?"

Temari smiled at Gaara, who beamed in response. "He's plenty ready for something like this. It's like Kankurou said--Gaara has the temper for it."

". . . Oh," came the final sigh, "all right."

Naruto turned to his mother triumphantly. "Come on, Mom! How can you say no now?"

Hotaru quirked an eyebrow. "Because neither your father nor his know of this?"

He waved one hand a bit. "Minor detail. _Pleeeease_?"

She pursed her lips, then sighed. "Oh, all right." She raised her voice to be heard over the resulting cheers. "But you two _swear_ to me that you'll stay out of trouble!"

"I will!" Naruto promised fervently, popping up to kiss her cheek before grabbing Gaara and dragging him off. "Thanks a bunch, Mom! I love you!"

They had to go into the house so Naruto could change clothes--_Because I am **not** going to wander around the village dressed like **that**._--but then they headed eagerly down into the village to check on the civilians and the rescue efforts.

"We're done with all the rescues, Naruto-sama," a chuunin reported. "The jounin-sensei had their teams separate the families alphabetically, then they called roll and crossed off names as the people came in. The dead have been identified."

"That's good. So what's going on now?"

"We're inspecting all of the free-standing buildings so the civilians can start moving out of the academy. It's really cramped in there, Naruto-sama, and I don't blame them for wanting to leave. A lot of them are going to be camping in the training fields for a while, though, I can tell you that much."

Naruto nodded. Most ninja knew precious little about _con_struction, but they knew a lot about _de_struction. They knew what strategic areas would make a building fall and if they were not sure one way or the other they would probably, aside from physically damaging it, _try_ to make it fall to be sure it would support the necessary weight. "How close are you to being done?"

"Well, I haven't been keeping score, but ever since everyone was accounted for we've been inspecting in units to try and hurry it along. I'd say we're about half done."

"All right. Finish up as quickly but as thoroughly as you can so people can start putting their lives back together."

"Yes sir." The ninja saluted and vanished.

"Let's head up to the academy, then," Naruto decided. "I doubt Dad's been there since everyone set up camp yesterday." When he received no response, he looked over only to find Gaara staring at him. "Wh . . . What?"

Gaara blinked. "You just . . . _wow_. Kankurou doesn't have that kind of authority."

_This is creepy. I wish he wouldn't look at me like that--it's not like I'm some kind of messiah._ "I don't either, probably," he replied honestly. "I just pretend I do. Either they guess Dad gave me the authority or what I say makes enough sense that they were going to do it anyway and just aren't bothering to tell me to shut up so they can get back to work faster."

"Still, you _sound_ like an authority. Have you had tutoring?"

_Yeah, I have . . . if an imaginary scaled-down Konoha that's squeezed into a corner of the playground at the end of the block and populated by invisible people who **have** to listen because I made them up can be called tutoring._ ". . . I kind of just picked it up after hanging around Dad all day."

"Ah," Gaara murmured. "I guess that's what it's like to be a Kage's oldest son."

_Where the hell did he make **that** connection?_ "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Oh! I didn't mean to sound insulting! It's just that Kankurou is older than me and I've always figured that he's Father's first pick to be the next Kazekage unless he screws up royally. That just seems to be followed through here as well."

Naruto's face twisted. "What, you gonna lie down and take that?"

"Huh?"

"Gaara, dude . . . If you want a high-level position, you don't just hold out your hand and _get_ it--you _earn_ it. Whether or not you want to be Kazekage, you have to _prove_ you're good at the job you want to have. Yeah, so I'm the Hokage's son and for the time being I'm his _only_ son. That pedigree isn't worth shit on _any_ type of battlefield--physical or political--if I can't back it up. I mean, a stallion can have champion bloodlines out his ass, but if he can't prove that he's inherited his ancestors' traits then he's not worth breeding. Get me?"

Gaara cocked his head.

It was . . . _cute_.

Naruto stared. _It's incredibly hypocritical of me to say this because it's not like I'm the epitome of normalcy, but . . . FREAK_._ It is **not** natural to be so adorable in one universe and so abrasive in another._

Oblivious to his thoughts, Gaara said, "That's a strange analogy, but I do believe I understand, yes. You're telling me that if I want to be able to interact with civilians on a regular basis, I have to prove to my father that I can handle being in the midst of them for long periods of time."

"_Exactly_. Now, let's go find you some civilians to play with."

Naruto was surprised at how easily Gaara settled into reassuring frightened people and helping distribute food and water. He just _connected_ with them even though he did not know them and they did not know him. Kankurou was right; Gaara definitely had the attitude--_Wherever the hell he **got** it from . . ._--for good PR and he even seemed to be _enjoying_ himself. Deciding to leave his new old friend to the effort, he headed off in search of any ninja who could give him details.

"Yes, they're definitely restless," a worn-out genin told him. "Now that the quakes have stopped, they want to go out and start rebuilding their homes."

"How aggressive are they?"

"Not very, yet. The jounin-sensei told them the remaining buildings were being inspected and since they don't want anything to fall on them or their families they're trying to be patient." She sighed tiredly and rubbed her temples as if to ward off the start of a headache. "I really don't blame them--I want to go home too."

Naruto put a hand on her shoulder. "I checked on the inspection teams just before I came here. They can't be sure, but they think they're half done. It'll probably require one more night here, but then you can leave. So cheer up, okay?"

She nodded. "I'll try, Naruto-sama."

"Good. And get some sleep before you pass out."

She yawned and shook her head. "I can't. My sensei and teammates left to help with the inspections." She leaned in and whispered softly, "A lot of other teams have, too. There are only two jounin-sensei in the academy and a dozen genin."

A skeleton crew, no doubt divided even further into day and night shifts. It was a risk to stretch the forces so thinly, because if the civilians took the time to notice they might use their numbers to their advantage, but it would get the inspections over with faster. "I see. Well, why don't you sleep now and I'll keep watch for you for a while?"

"I shouldn't, Naruto-sama."

"If you're worried about not being able to sleep later, don't. When your shift is over, I'll buy you lunch if you can't get to sleep for the night."

She frowned. ". . . If you're sure, Naruto-sama."

"Yeah. My friend's helping out over there and I don't want to leave him."

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

She curled up near his feet and he stood in that spot for the rest of the afternoon and into the evening. A jounin-sensei showed up at about seven o'clock with a student who must have been the girl's replacement. That kid, fortunately, looked much more awake.

"Naruto-sama?" the jounin asked. "Did something happen?"

"No. I just wanted to know how things were here and she was so tired that I offered to stand watch for her for a while." He looked down at the girl, who had not awakened once despite the volume and pitch of some tantruming children nearby. "Are you all okay with the way things are? Do you need relief?"

The jounin traded the boy beside him for the girl, who he picked up gently. He started to walk away and Naruto, not missing the shift of eyes that invited him to follow, walked with him. He did not like leaving Gaara behind, but he did not figure it would be for long.

"Things are going surprisingly well here," the jounin told him as they walked down the empty hallway. Everyone, it seemed, had fit into the classrooms. "The civilians are being more cooperative than we expected and we're very grateful." They entered a teachers' lounge that had been converted into a command room of sorts. A coffee table holding blueprints of the academy was pushed against one wall, as was all the furniture. Some kids had collapsed onto the couch, loveseat, and armchair, but the rest were on the floor, sleeping deeply in sleeping bags around a jounin who seemed to be having a bad dream at the moment.

The jounin Naruto had been with tucked the girl into the only empty sleeping bag and touched the uncomfortable jounin, who flinched slightly and cracked open one eye. "They're all here," the night-shift jounin reported, and the day-shift jounin nodded and drifted into what for the time being seemed to be a more comfortable sleep.

The jounin straightened and turned to Naruto. He did not lower his voice--the genin were too tired to hear them talking and the other jounin would only, out of paranoia, wake up again if they tried to be quiet. "Really, Naruto-sama, out of all the ranks I think the genin were hit hardest. In a good way, of course. They didn't like being relegated to the academy, but it didn't take them long to realize that they had been given a very big and very important job."

Naruto nodded. "You and the others made this an assignment, right?"

"Naturally."

He had expected as much. _It's what Kakashi-sensei would have done._ "Have all the jounin-sensei submit reports on their students' actions for this assignment, then. I'll look them over and talk to Dad and see if I can't get him to let me throw a party for them or something, since I made them do this. If they've done as well as you say, they deserve it."

The jounin chuckled. "That's very noble of you, Naruto-sama, but I think if you were to ask them they'd prefer a week off."

"I might get that for them, too."

"If you can manage it, I'm sure they'd worship you."

"I don't want worship. I want happy ninja."

"Well, you'd definitely have that."

Naruto nodded. "I suppose so. I guess, in that case, that you don't need relief?"

"No, Naruto-sama, though the offer is certainly appreciated. The inspections are nearly done. We'll have the civilians stay for the night, then let them out in the morning."

"All right. Thank you very much." Naruto returned to where he had left Gaara and found the other boy still handing out water to those who asked for it. "Come on, Gaara, we have to go back to the house."

Gaara looked at him mournfully. "Must we?"

"It's seven at _night_, Gaara. We have to. We'll probably be in craploads of trouble as it is just for being out past what my mom considers curfew, which varies from day to day. Today it was probably five, which we've completely missed."

"Oh, all right."

Sure enough, Hotaru gave them an earful.

"Where have you two _been_?! It's been _hours_ since you left! I thought I was going to have to send a _search party_ after you!"

"Mom," Naruto entreated, "it's not that late."

"'Not that late'?!" she shrieked. "It's _dark_ out! You're _afraid_ of the dark!"

Naruto frowned. That was the second time he had heard that. "Am not."

"Well you're _supposed to be_! Where _were_ you?!"

_Please tell me that these are pregnancy-induced mood swings . . ._ "At the academy."

"All _day_?!"

"Yes."

"Impossible!"

_. . . And please tell me that they're going to go away **long** before she goes into labor. She wasn't like this earlier._ "_Mom_. We went down into the village and found out they were doing inspections. Since we couldn't help there, we went to the academy and helped there instead. Gaara was enjoying himself, so I didn't insist on leaving. The most dangerous thing that happened to us all day was that I tripped over a tree root on the way home. That's it."

She scowled. "Go to your room and _don't_ come out for supper!"

Naruto drew back at the harsh punishment, then sighed. It sucked that he been chewed out in front of the Kage, who had turned their evening tea into a not-quite-meeting all its own, but at least Gaara would not get in trouble for it. As he turned to leave he caught sight of the Fourth, who smiled secretively at him as he sipped his tea. That was a good sign, anyway, to have his father on his side in this. Under normal circumstances, Naruto had little doubt his father would have taken up for him. Unfortunately, under normal circumstances that support would have surely led to quite the argument between his parents, particularly if his mother was indeed in a mood swing and not simply overly concerned, and for the time being it was a requirement that personal things be shifted just a little bit to the side to offer a united front to the esteemed visitors.

Obediently but unrepentantly, Naruto went to his room, where he collapsed onto his bed without even bothering to turn on a light. It turned out that the house had actually survived the earthquake just fine, but in the kitchen there were a couple of weak spots in the ceiling due to the combination of a tiny leak in the roof tiles and the steam that came off Aya's cooking. _Ironically, if we had been in any room **except** the kitchen, everything would have been great._

"Oi," he groaned, trying to ignore the growl that his stomach produced out of spite for his accepting unjust punishment. Sighing at his luck, he closed his eyes.

"Naruto . . . Naruto . . . _Naruto_ . . . Gods, boy, _wake up_ or I'm going to eat this for you."

Naruto snorted softly and squinted fiercely in the brightness of his newly-lit room. He hid his eyes in his arm until they adjusted, then pushed himself up and accepted the bowl of ramen his father handed him. It happened to be miso, so he ended up setting into it with more gusto than he had originally planned to.

"Anything to report?" He recounted the whole afternoon, including his idea about a party and some time off for the genin. "I don't see why not, if they did a good job."

Naruto finished his meal and savored the last mouthful for a moment, then swallowed and looked at the Fourth with suspicion. "You didn't have ramen for supper."

His father sighed heavily and reached out to put a hand on his head. "Your mother and Aya may hate it, but you're going to need the energy it offers, without the weight."

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**A****nswers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

Enter: Gaara. He is . . . interesting, yes-no? I base Gaara's cuteness mostly on how painfully adorable he was as a kid. I also saw episode 225 (I'm not as caught up in my manga) and found out that Gaara has a startlingly _nice_ smile. Very handsome. With some evidence that he wasn't going to turn into a homicidal maniac again, I'd date him.

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Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	28. Departure

**Author's Notes:** Chapter twenty-eight! The start of an important humanitarian, lives-saving mission for Naruto. Ninja aren't always hired to kill.

To **A-man**: No, Shukaku isn't sealed inside Gaara--probably still in his teakettle.

To **Miako**: Bwahaha! That's a very nice turn-around!

To **XL**: I'm glad you're enjoying DNT despite its considerable shortcomings, but please . . . please, please, _please_ notice that this is a _drama_ fic and _not_ a beat-'em-up fic. This story being 'way past time for' action is not an opinion that we share. While I do intend for there to be battles later, it will always take a back seat to the characters' thoughts and interactions because the fact is, fighting does not make characters interesting for very long, and who the characters are is more important to me than their body count. Not even ninja fight every day of their lives, and they aren't always itching to jump into blood and gore. If you want to read about A violently crushing B with his greater strength and speed that badly, that's fine with me--but you'll have to go somewhere else to find it.

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 3,176

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 4/4/07

**Disclaimer:** No.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Eight - Departure

* * *

Naruto stared blankly. "I'm _going_ to need the energy?"

"If you agree to this. I just got word about an hour ago that one of the coastal areas was hit by a tsunami created by the quake. A fishing village _was_ there, originally."

"And it's not now?"

The Fourth shook his head. "I don't know. The person who reported this was only a little older than you. He's in shock--I didn't ask much." Naruto nodded. "I pulled a team together for the trip . . . Unfortunately, they were all I could spare."

Naruto nodded again. He understood. "Why do I have to go?"

"You don't _have_ to go, but I want the people to know I'm worried about them and since I can't go myself, I figured you were the next best person. If you don't want to do it, I can just put Kakashi in charge."

"Kakashi-sensei? But he's watching Mom and Nyoko! If he's gone and I'm gone---!"

"Naruto . . . Naruto . . . _Easy_. I replaced him with Iruka. Does that make you feel better?"

_Much._ "Yes." His father smiled and ruffled his hair. Naruto yawned and stretched. "So when are we leaving?"

The Fourth frowned. ". . . Now. It'd take you all day to get down there if you only left in the morning."

Naruto let himself lean listlessly at the thought, then nodded once more. "Okay. I'll be there in fifteen minutes . . . Wherever I'm supposed to be."

"In front of the house." His father pulled him into a hug. "I know I keep asking things of you. You've done more work in two days then you've ever done so far in your life and I can't _begin_ to explain how proud I am. I'm not going to _make_ you do this. It's far away and because of the Kage and their families I couldn't spare more than two ANBU, so it'll be dangerous as well. I hate to say it, but at the very least you might meet with some resistance in the ranks just because of your age. I'm sure Kakashi will back you up unless he thinks you're absolutely out of your mind, but you'll still have to deal with that on top of everything else."

"It's okay, Dad. I'll go. And of all things, annoyed adults are something I can deal with."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah." Naruto froze, then shook his head. "It's too long a story to tell now, though."

_And hopefully, he'll forget about it while you're gone, right?_

_Bingo._

_You leave a lot to chance, brat._

His father gave him a suspicious sideways look, then reached out and touched his shoulders. Naruto twitched briefly at the unexpected tickle of chakra, but quickly stilled. _What **is** he doing?_

Arashi frowned. _. . . It's like he was never hurt at all. In only a day he healed from wounds that should have taken months to heal, without any medical assistance. This can't be natural, but he's never been out of my sight for long enough to acquire . . . **this**._ He drew back slightly, alarmed. _The Rain-nin! The one who attacked him! He must have done something! I have to question him myself and find Tsunade! It might---_

". . . Dad?"

Arashi looked at Naruto, startled. _I can't scare him. He should be okay if he goes out, considering how long he's had this ability and not shown any particularly detrimental problems in the interim._ He smiled. "Just giving you a check-up to be sure yesterday's excitement won't cause you trouble."

"Will I live?" Naruto watched the Fourth's eyes widen a little and felt a small tremble run through his father's hands. He grimaced internally. _Fuck! Nice move, dumbass; you forgot your own rule. Remember? **Don't joke about being dead in front of Dad**._ Unfortunately, he chose to amend himself with the well-intended but easily misinterpreted, "Long enough to see this assignment through?" The older blond paled, causing his blue eyes to stand out even more, and Naruto hit himself in the head. _Cut your losses, Uzumaki._ "I'm going to get my stuff together."

Naruto packed up some clothes, a sleeping bag, water, and ramen. He did not pack a tent because it was time consuming to both set up and take down--most ninja did not use tents except in the winter, which it was not quite yet though it was certainly getting colder, and some did not use them at all. Naruto counted himself among those ranks; he had the good fortune at home to stumble across a waterproof sleeping bag that had been trashed simply because it had a tear in it. Some of the goose down had fallen out, but he was perfectly willing to chase geese until he had gotten a bit more than what he figured he needed. He had de-liced the feathers, stuffed them into the sleeping bag, and sewn up the tear. Good as new and toasty-warm, which was why he could sleep so easily without a tent in ten-degree nights with a windchill of minus five. Sakura thought he was insane, especially whenever he got covered in snow or rained on, but considering that his apartment was unheated anyway, the cold hardly bothered him.

"You mean you're actually _going_?"

Naruto sighed. "Mom, I'm a ninja. My duty isn't just to Dad and to this village, but to the whole of Fire Country. If a seaside village needs my help, I'm honor-bound to provide that help to the best of my ability."

"It's almost half way across the country!"

"So what? At full speed it'll only take ten or twelve hours to get there."

"I can't believe you're going to do this! I won't let you!"

Naruto slung his pack on and strapped it across his chest. "Mom, I love you, but I'm not going to let you stop me from doing this. You said it yourself--Dad really needs my help right now and if I can make things easier on him by . . . by even just sweeping the front porch, then I'll do it." He shook his head. "Nobody's told me what I was like before I woke up in the hospital, but I've picked up on the fact that I was a prissy snob. I could have been way more useful to both Dad _and_ you _years_ ago, but I was too self-centered. I owe it to Dad to do everything I can for him and, eventually, I'll figure out a way to make it all up to you, too."

She sputtered incoherently, her face red with helpless fury, as Naruto slipped past her. He planted a quick kiss on her cheek. "Bye, Mom. I promise I'll be back as soon as I can. Please take it easy and try not to let Dad overexert himself."

Next door, Nyoko and Hitomi were playing with Nyoko's dolls. Naruto bent down over her and kissed his baby sister on the head. "Lots of love, Chan-chan."

_. . . 'Chan-chan'? What the hell? Where did **that** come from?_

Kyuubi apparently conferred briefly with the other Naruto, then reported, _It's a nickname he gave her. He originally meant it to be a mocking one, but it has developed a more affectionate meaning over time._

Nyoko looked at him, then held her arms out. "Nii-chan going?"

He picked her up. "Yes, I'm going."

"I go too?"

He cuddled her. "Sorry, love. Not this time."

"But Niiii . . ."

"_No_, Nyoko. Not this time. Someday soon you'll be old enough for me to take you along, but not for now, okay? Besides, I need you here to take care of Mom and Dad for me, because as much as I beg them to take a time out once in a while, I know they won't."

"Time out?" she echoed. "Mommy and Daddy bad?"

He blinked. _Bad? How could she make that connec . . . tion . . ._ He grinned deviously at his sister's innocent suggestion and cackled to himself. _Prank time . . ._ "Yes, Chan-chan, Mom and Dad have been bad. Whenever you see them while I'm gone I want you to say, 'Take a time out!' Go ahead and practice."

"Take a time out!" she commanded, with every ounce of authority a three-year-old could muster. "Take a time out!"

His grin widened. _Damn, I'm good! If I get belted when I come home, it will **so** be worth it. Too bad I won't be around to see the fruits of my effort, though._ "Right. I love you, Chan-chan. Behave yourself."

"Yes, Nii-chan."

He set her down and went to the door, where he turned and prompted, "So if you see Mom or Dad, what do you say?"

"Take a time out!"

"That's right! I'm glad I can count on you, Chan-chan!"

Naruto headed on to the front of the house and peeked quickly into the lounge, where he found Shinju tending to a dust-covered, sleeping boy of about fifteen. "Shinju? Where's Dad?"

"Arashi-sa---" She closed her mouth and tried again. "_Papa_ is outside waiting with your team, Naruto."

"Thanks. Oh, and if you need a place to put him where you can keep a better eye on him, go ahead and use my room. I won't need it for a while."

"All right."

He slipped in and bent down to kiss her cheek. "Bye."

She hesitated only briefly before returning the gesture. "Good-bye, Naruto. I hope it all goes well for you."

He smiled. "Thanks, Shinju."

Outside, he spotted his father and Kakashi standing together and talking while the other ninja going on the trip milled about and chatted amongst themselves. "Dad!"

The Fourth turned and smiled. "Right on time, kiddo!"

"Can I borrow your shoulders for a minute?"

". . . Okay."

Naruto slipped off his sandals and climbed up until he was standing on his father's shoulders. He looked around and said, "Hey." Expectedly, no one paid attention. Drawing in a deep breath, he barked, "_HEY_!"

Immediately, all eyes were on him.

"Good. Let's all start paying some attention to the little blond kid in orange, all right?" They stared, but he could tell some of them were already upset at his aggressive interruption. Not that it bothered him in the slightest, since he was well used to it. "Okay, I have a question. How many of you have done anything like this before? . . . I didn't think so. Well, I haven't the faintest idea myself, so if any of you come up with an idea, let me know. I don't care how stupid you think it sounds, I want to hear about it. Clear?"

"_SIR_!" was the collective shout.

He slid down from the Fourth's shoulders and as he was pulling his sandals back on, his father crouched next to him. "That was very inspiring."

Naruto snorted. "I try."

The Fourth pulled him closer and ruffled his hair. "You be careful, okay? _Please_?"

"Of course, Dad. As careful as can be." He stood up and dusted his bottom off. "Oh, and watch out for Mom. She doesn't want me to do this, so she's probably going to blame you for putting the idea in my head. As if I can't make decisions on my own now. Just a warning, in case she tries to two-by-four you when you go back into the house."

His father chuckled, then sighed. "She's going through her nesting phase. All of her babies have to be present and accounted for from now up until the delivery or '_OH MY **GOD**, HOW CAN I **POSSIBLY** TRUST **ANY** OF YOU PEOPLE WITH MY NEWBORNS_?!_ **ARGH**_!' So don't worry too much about that."

Naruto laughed. "Okay. Oh, and if everybody leaves before I get back, would you tell Gaara that I still want to spar with him?"

"Sure."

Kakashi held out a cage to him. "Here. You trained it, you carry it."

Naruto accepted the cage. "Huh? Trained what?" He peeked through the bars. "Oh! A bird!" He quickly opened the cage and stuck his hand under the bird's breast, coaxing it to step onto his hand. "Up." The talons let him know it was a bird of prey and he admired it in the light coming from the lounge window.

Technically, no one but the falconers were supposed to be in the aviary, but the usually human-less roost had become one of his hiding places in his childhood. The Third had found him there one afternoon and, since the old man had apparently been around birds in some capacity, he had educated Naruto on identifying breeds and bird behaviors. This came in handy, as all of the birds there had liked him, but some did not always want to be pet or held and he had no idea how to tell until he had gotten pecked. He had also learned, on his own, that he could communicate with the birds no matter how complex his instructions were. Either they had all been trained that way, which he doubted, or Kyuubi's link to the earth gave him some kind of unknown advantage. It would not be the first time such a thing had happened.

Somehow, though, it had never crossed his mind to ask to train one. "Wow! I trained this? I never thought of that! I'll have to try it!" He realized how strange he must have sounded and scratched his head, 'correcting' himself with a bemused, "Again, I guess."

He looked at the bird. "We're going to the coast tonight." He looked at the stars to get his bearings, then pointed east. "That way." The bird clipped its beak. "Got it? All right, why don't you stretch your wings for a minute? I'll carry you in my pack on the way down." He flung his hand up and the bird instantly took flight.

"No, Naruto!" His father watched the bird disappear upward and sighed, then clapped a hand over his face as he groaned. "Naruto . . ."

"What?"

"You just set it loose! It could take hours to catch it!"

"No way." He looked around the night sky, found the bird circling over them, then held up his arm and whistled. "Come back down, sweetheart! This is an urgent trip and we have to get going ASAP!" Silently, the bird alighted on his forearm. He scratched its breast warmly and cooed, "Good girl . . . What?"

His father--and everyone else there--stared. ". . . Naruto?"

"Huh?"

The Fourth opened his mouth as if to speak, then closed it and shook his head. "Never mind," he said instead, rubbing his forehead. "It can wait."

". . . If you say so." Naruto swung his pack off and carefully packed the bird in on top of his clothes. "Comfy in there?" he asked, and the bird clipped her beak once more. "Good. The ride might be a little bumpy, but you'll do better in there than in the cage. Oh, I'd appreciate it if you didn't redecorate my clothes."

Arashi saw the group off and as the gates closed in front of him, he sighed and murmured unhappily, "My son is becoming more of an anomaly every moment . . ." He returned to the house, where chaos had already been stirred. Hotaru appeared prepared to scream, but he managed to get to her quickly enough to soothe her into silence. "What's wrong?"

She turned on him furiously. "_Your daughter_"--they were always _his_ children whenever they did something she did not like--"is making a nuisance of herself!"

"How so?"

"_Every time_ I walk into that room she shouts the same thing at me!"

"And what does she say?"

"She tells me to 'take a time out'!"

"All right, well, let me try."

He stepped into the room and the instant she saw him, Nyoko pointed and ordered, "Take a time out!"

Hitomi was clearly trying desperately to not laugh.

He knelt down in front of Nyoko, who smiled at him innocently. "Hi, Daddy."

"Hi, sweetheart." He picked her up and held her close and she hugged him the best she could with such short arms. _Well, whatever her reason, it's not out of malice._ "Sweetie, why are you telling Mommy and me to take a time out?"

She began to stroke his hair--what of it she could reach, anyway--absently with her little hands. It was a quirk she had carried since infancy and since she was only petting, not pulling, he had never discouraged her. It also seemed to have some kind of strange correlation to Naruto, but he had no idea how or why. "Nii-chan said to."

He ignored Hotaru's muted howl of rage. "Why?"

"He said you were bad."

"He _what_?!" Hotaru screeched, storming into the room. "Why that little---"

Nyoko pointed at her. "Take a time out!"

Hitomi, by that point, had given up trying to not laugh and was simply trying to not laugh out loud. She was curled up onto her side, occasionally gasping raggedly. She calmed herself down, though, and got to her feet. "Naruto-sama asked Nyoko-sama to say that whenever she saw you to remind you not to overextend yourselves."

"You mean she's going to say that until he comes home?" Hotaru prompted. "No. There is no way I'm going to stand for that."

"Well don't take it out on her, Hotaru," Arashi chided. "She's only doing what Naruto told her to do." He kissed Nyoko's head. "And that kind of obedience must always be rewarded in some manner. Besides, she's not saying it now. All you have to do is count the usual amount of time you spend with her and pack it all into one session so that you only hear it once or twice a day. Personally, I _like_ knowing she's doing what she's told."

"_Yes_, but . . . _argh_ . . ."

"Hotaru, why don't you go lie down and I'll put Nyoko to bed?"

"I can---"

"_Hotaru_." She was worrying him with all the stressing-out she had been doing the past day. After learning that she was carrying twins, it only worried him doubly. "_Please_ go lie down. Read a book. I'll put Nyoko to bed and join you, okay? Please?"

She looked up at him, her expression one of a person ready to protest, but then let out a long breath and leaned against his side. ". . . Oh, all right."

Grateful for her cooperation, he kissed her.

"I expect compensation for giving in."

"I am your slave," he agreed.

She pretended to shiver. "Ooh, you should say that more often."

"You don't want that," he replied with a leer. "Repeated admissions come with a need for a form of return compensation and I don't think you'd like my idea of it."

She crossed her arms. "Oh?"

He leaned toward her, grinning widely. "The centerfold of one of Jiraiya-sensei's books was wearing a brass---"

She threw her arms up. "No! I've heard enough!"

Hitomi blushed bright red and giggled nervously.

He straightened, smiling knowingly. "I figured as much."

"_You_, Arashi Uzumaki, are a _pervert_!"

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

Just for the sake of clarification, Naruto does _not_ know the bird language. He speaks to the birds in _his_ language, and--apparently because of Kyuubi--it's somehow translated for them in a way that they can understand his orders better than they could someone else's. If they chirp back at him, he has absolutely no idea whether they're thanking him or telling him to fuck off.

---

By the way, does anyone know what the term(s) for an aunt and uncle is/are? By which I mean, are there different words used in a sentence depending on the form of address? Such as, "My aunt/uncle gave me a dollar," as opposed to, "Aunt/Uncle, may I have a dollar?" I used 'jisan' when Naruto referenced Kayaku a few chapters back, but is that the standard application, regardless?

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	29. Fox and Child

**Author's Notes:** Chapter twenty-nine! _Finally_, it's time to meet parallel!Kyuubi and parallel!Naruto! How's that for a two-for-one? I know I told some of you chapter thirty, but I lied.

_Door Number Two_ has received a fan fanfic, regarding portions of the time between chapters fourteen and twenty-two! If you're looking for Naruto to play a few pranks, check out Lizeth's _Behind Door Number Two_ at http//ww w.fanfiction. net/s/3476630 /1/!

To** Katie**: I don't know if he has the same ability with other animals--I've never tried to experiement beyond birds (talking to animals is rather cliché, so I try to be careful when using it).

To **A Reviewer**: Thank you for your help. Naruto, in canon, is seventeen here.

To **XL**, who should please leave an e-mail address so this can be taken to a more appropriate place: I don't recall making any implication about your age. Violence--or battle or whatever you would like to call it--and its offshoots have many fans of varying ages, so your own has no bearing on the matter, whether or not you were saying you wanted to see it (which it seemed at the time that you were because you offered little to the contrary). While I apologize for mistaking the point of your previous review--though again, from the thoughts you offered, it seemed to me to be pointing at battle scenes more than anything else--the sheer level of offense you have taken in response to a response to _advice_, which is for the receiver to freely accept or turn down as he or she sees fit, is astonishing. I never accused you of being a child, nor did I tell you that you were a twit. I simply said that my intentions are elsewhere.

Though I can appreciate your experience, particularly in a professional context, I don't think nine years of my own writing efforts is a sign that I haven't learned to plan out what I'm going to do with a story. The slowness was something I did on purpose because I wasn't sure I _could_ slow down--I have long been criticized for moving too quickly in my work. You could not possibly have known that, but that doesn't make it any less a bruise to what I am attempting to do. I have no issues with admitting that DNT is over two years old and is only, at this point in the story, getting closer to the skill at which I currently write. It has many errors that have been pointed out in several degrees of politeness and rudeness, including its lack of 'action', and the definition of that one word appears to differ greatly from person to person--generally referring to fighting. It could, without a doubt, do with an intense rewrite.

As for the 'action' you suggested, I have already had plans for including most of what you offered for thought. I have not forgotten about them; they will appear. I have also stated at least twice now that romance and a team would overcomplicate this story and strip the focus from where I intend it to be: on characterizing Naruto and the Fourth. They would also further destroy the pacing that you say is much too slow as it is. They have been previously considered and struck down.

If you are truly that offended by my misunderstanding of your unclarified points, then I shall hold the door for you so that is does _not_ hit you on the way out. I shall also gladly hold it for you if and when you choose to return, and look forward to any thoughts you may feel like sharing on whether my abilities have improved or suffered since DNT first began, and where and how they might be improved. However, I warn you that you will have to nitpick everything that you think is incorrect and explain why you feel that way or else I will never be able to understand what angle you're viewing the problem from, and this debacle will be repeated exactly as it has happened here.

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 3,271

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 4/7/07

**Disclaimer:** No.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Nine - Fox and Child

* * *

In ninja terms, he was sleepy.

In civilian terms, he was dead tired.

Naruto yawned for the fifth time in as many minutes. It was already well past morning and he could smell the sea--they were almost there. _Gods, I need a nap._

_Well take it, fool. You're no good if you're like that._

_And leave you in charge of this body? No thanks. Maybe if we were alone, but perhaps you've forgotten that we're trying to **not** be found out?_

Kyuubi may have answered, but Naruto did not hear him because he had skidded to a stop the instant he left the forest. There were other ninja there, and they were not from Konoha. Their headbands showed a series of connected c's.

"Who are they?" Naruto asked.

Kakashi nudged him forward. "Wave-nin, Naruto. Allies. Their nation isn't large, but that's no excuse for you to forget such a prosperous country."

"_Prosperous_?" Not the last thing _he_ remembered. _Though I admit, things **have** been going better for them recently . . ._

"Yes. The people of Wave Country were very poor because they had few routes to get to the mainland. However, there was a businessman, Gatou, who built a bridge from their nearest island to the Fire Country. With such a path, they were able to move their goods even when the seas got a little rough."

Sensing Naruto's bewilderment, Kyuubi snickered. _Oh, the insanity . . ._

_Would you keep your mouth shut?_

The ranks of Wave-nin ranged all the way from jounin to genin. They welcomed the Leaf-nin graciously and began explaining what they had discovered upon arriving the day before as the Leaf-nin set their packs down. The water level had dropped substantially since the earthquake, they reported, indicating the massive piles of debris around them. The village buildings had been utterly wiped out and while most of the villagers were accounted for, some were still missing; perhaps trapped on the other side of the out-flowing, debris-laden mud-water, perhaps washed out to sea and drowned.

Naruto listened with only half an ear, unable to tear his gaze from the devastation. He had never seen anything like it before. Kyuubi suddenly perked up at something and he mimicked the motion, tilting his head to hear whatever had alerted the demon fox. After a moment, he was able to catch a distant choked sob. His eyes darted around the area and finally came to rest on a tree in the midst of the muddy salt water, where a half-naked girl was clinging to a tree. He hoped she had not been there for long, but she was far enough away that normal humans would not hear her over the rushing of the water and the crash of the waves on shore. For all he knew, she had been there since the tsunami first swept in.

_And just **where** are you going?_

_I can't wait--**she** can't wait--for them to stop talking and listen to me and **believe** me!_

He looked down at the yellow-brown water and Kyuubi grimaced. _You aren't going to jump in there, are you?_

_Well I can't **fly** to the tree._ Naruto dove into the water and began to swim blindly. He was buffeted by oncoming debris, but managed to avoid being dragged by it.

_The punk says that if you kill us he will stalk you in our afterlife._

_Tell him I've been pitched into floodwaters lots of times. The only difference is that this has bigger debris._

_Somehow,_ was the sarcastic reply, _he wasn't reassured._

Naruto finally surface for air and found that unless he started paddling, he was going to undershoot the tree and miss it entirely. So he dropped his chin and put his chest into it, finally slamming his side against the trunk. He swung around and heaved himself up and was almost immediately choked to death by the girl, who was not much older than Nyoko. She had been in a cute little sundress, but one of the shoulder straps had torn and the dress had fallen half open. She shivered almost violently, her small body frighteningly cold. Though it was wet, it was warmer than what she was wearing right then, so Naruto peeled off his jacket and put it on the girl. When he had zipped it up she climbed into his lap and huddled against him while he looked around and tried to figure out how he was going to get to land in _any_ direction.

Walking on the water was impossible--with the speed, the constant change in depth, and the variations in surface tension, there was no way for a ninja of _any_ skill level to cross it. Even a second's pause would result in an altered state for the water and an unceremoniously-dunked ninja. _I could try jumping from debris mass to debris mass . . ._

"Hey, listen up." The girl looked up at him, her expression pathetic. She was cold, wet, and exhausted. He hated to ask it of her, but there was no other way. "I'm going to go back the way I came. You're going to have to hold on to me piggyback, okay? As tight as you can." The girl nodded and he shifted her around until she clung to his shoulders.

He leaped out of the tree onto a passing mass of tangled wood, then onto another farther upstream, then another. His next leap was for a section of thatch roof, but as he came down on it he saw only too late how soggy it was. It caved beneath his weight and dropped him into the icy water. Fortunately, it turned out the house the thatch was attached to was mostly intact and the water inside the house was much more still than what was outside--enough to use his chakra on. He climbed onto the water's surface and draped himself over the nearer edge of broken thatch.

"You okay back there?" he asked, and the girl whimpered.

He let out a long breath and looked around. He knew he should have been pulling himself out, but he could not find the strength to. His muscles quivered with weakness stemming from his previous tiredness and the temperature of the water. _I hate this body . . ._

"Give her to me."

He looked up into the vertical pupil of a red eye. Blinking, he realized a well-groomed, nine-tailed red kitsune about the size of a horse had come to him. Dazed by the cold and confused by the new development, he asked blankly, ". . . Kyuubi?"

"Give her to me!"

He looked back at the girl. "Go with the fox. I can't help you anymore."

The little girl held her arms up, but the fox reached into the house and grabbed her by the back of Naruto's jacket, lifting her away from him and carrying her to safety. The thatch beneath him gave out again and he plunged into the cold water, then flailed onto the edge of the house. That was hardly any better, since the house was made of clay and had been softening for quite some time. It bowed beneath him, but the fox returned and in the next instant he found his head pinned with impossible gentleness between sharp molar teeth. He was dropped onto dry ground, rolled to his back, and pinned by a hand-like paw. Something long and warm ran over his throat and face a few times, but was abruptly stopped and replaced by the sound of furious fox-barking. Then the tongue was back, licking even more vigorously than before.

_What is this fox's **problem**?_ he wondered. _I don't **want** to be licked._

_Maybe it's because you aren't **breathing**?_ Kyuubi offered sharply.

Naruto inhaled, but like when he had almost been suffocated, his lungs only collapsed on themselves. His next instinct was to cough, which brought a considerable amount of foul-tasting ocean water up. He gasped and coughed a second time, repeating the process until there was no more water. The fox licked whichever side of his face he presented and the longer it went on the more he came to like the tongue's warmth on his chilled skin--it was energizing.

All good things must end, though, and the care was no exception.

_"You are not my kit."_

That was kind of the fox, to not tell all. "That's okay," he rasped almost inaudibly. "You aren't my fox. You're a _vixen_."

_"Where is my kit and why have you taken his form?"_

"Can't this wait?" he asked. "I promise I'll explain everything later if you'll give me a few hours to warm up."

The nine red tails flicked in annoyance. _"Very well. I will be waiting."_

Just like that, the fox was gone.

Naruto sat up, his coughs much weaker, and grimaced at the grit in his hair. "Great."

"Naruto, you . . . you _abnormality_!" Kakashi grabbed his shirt and shook him. "What could have _possibly_ possessed you to do something so _stupid_?!"

Naruto pushed his hands away. "Time was of the essence, Kakashi-sensei. I could have pointed her out to all of you, but she was practically out of the line of sight. There's no telling how long she'd already been sitting there or what would have happened to her if she'd stayed much longer."

"Maybe it hasn't _occurred_ to you, Naruto, but _you_ are the first and _only_ son of the _Fourth Hokage_! That means _you_ point out someone who needs saving, _I_ go save them, and _you_ get the credit for the rescue! _That's how it works_!"

"My bloodline doesn't make me a glass figurine."

A dark towel was suddenly dropped onto his head, obscuring his vision, and his hair was scrubbed dry harshly. "No, it makes you a figurehead! Your safety ranks above the importance of whatever you get involved in!"

"Dad would've done it if he'd been here!" He made a face. _Boy, do I sound like a wuss when I yell with a sore throat._

"Yes, he would've, because he would've snuck off like you did! He knows that he's not supposed to do this sort of thing either, but he does it anyway!" There was an annoyed growl. "It must be a specific kind of brain damage passed down genetically in your family, that's all I can say! The Third _never_ pulled insane stunts like that!"

"Yeah? He's also an old geezer! He'd have a heart attack if he tried it!"

A fist slammed down onto his head, not the slightest bit deflected by the towel. "Don't disrespect the Third Hokage, moron!"

They calmed down after that, mainly because Naruto realized he was not going to win. In his world, Kakashi was not _nearly_ as rabid about his safety. Sure, the platinum-haired jounin worried when he did such things, but there was also a trust that he would not forget to make the proper calculations and risk his life unnecessarily. However, he could clearly remember the aftermath of their first fight with Zabuza. When Kakashi had awakened, the instant he felt he had enough energy he called for the team and gave all of them--Naruto particularly--an earful about not following a superior's orders. Naruto did not pay the slightest bit of attention, of course, because he knew that they had saved their teacher's life and he could hear the pride in the jounin's voice at their ingenuity. He had tried to argue his point then as well, but it was akin to arguing with a very thick brick wall.

So Naruto was well aware that if he really got Kakashi going, the jounin would harp on him for _hours_. He decided to retreat from the argument--he knew he was right, and to him that was really all that mattered--and shut up. "Whatever."

The submission benefited him in another way, because it allowed him to go out to speak to the fox faster. He was wrapped up in a blanket and told to walk until he no longer felt cold, so he set off into the trees, following the very obvious scent that had been left behind for him. The fox was sitting primly--definitely a vixen--in a small clearing, her nine long tails curled around her feet. He stopped in front of her and waited.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

He had no reason to lie--and she would smell it if he did--so he said, "Naruto Uzumaki."

"You are not my kit. You are not Arashi's kit."

_She knows Dad? Interesting . . ._ "Not here, no."

"Explain."

So he wiped the running make-up from his cheeks and told her everything, including that he carried Kyuubi, since she could undoubtedly smell him anyway.

". . . I see. If there were a way to fabricate such an elaborate scent I might kill you."

"It's a good thing you won't, then, because I told you, this is the body of the Naruto who _should_ be in control. Killing his body may just send me home, which is something that still might be possible _without_ that kind of sacrifice."

"Hmph."

She was quiet, so he assumed that meant he could ask questions. "You're the Kyuubi of this world?"

"I am."

"But . . . you're a vixen."

"Kind of you to notice."

He supposed that just because he still had yet to come across a _person_ who had switched genders did not mean it did not happen in some capacity. _. . . Do **not** think about self as a girl. Do **not**--- _Sure enough, it brought to mind his oiroke no jutsu. Worse, it made him wonder--for _some_ reason he did not care to learn--how Sasuke would have treated him if he had actually been a girl who did not fawn over him. _**Fuck**! That's sick! He'd probably treat me the same, though, the narcissistic dickhead . . ._ "Why aren't you evil?"

"How should I know that, aside from _choosing_ to not be evil?"

"I mean, when I was a baby . . ."

_Let me talk to her._

_Wha . . .? Hey! Don't shove, Fox-bastard! I would've let you!_

Naruto found himself in Kyuubi's 'den', which was little more than his prison with the gates flung wide open. It had been a risk to free the fox, but Naruto had taken the seal that bound the gates and kept it safe, just in case Kyuubi got aggressive. The fox had yet to and for a while Naruto had considered getting rid of the gate seal entirely, but he thought that maybe Kyuubi was as safe _inside_ the cage as Naruto was supposed to have been _outside_ the cage. If they were ever attacked, maybe he could protect the fox from the worst of it or keep his power from being used against his will.

_Or **more** against his will, at least, since he didn't exactly consent to lending me his chakra either._

"So you're the one in charge, I take it?"

Startled, Naruto looked around. High above him, relaxing in a golden cage that hung from a ceiling that could not be seen, was his counterpart. _So **here** you are, you little prick. It's about time I had the chance to whip your ass._ He gathered himself, then jumped and swung up onto the cage, sticking his legs through the bars and hugging with his arms to keep from falling off. "You're the one who's _supposed_ to be in charge?"

"Yeah."

The other boy was dressed and looked exactly like him, but was missing the whiskers that so blatantly signified Naruto's demonic possession. _That's weird._ "You've really messed things up, you know."

"Shut the fuck up! I didn't ask you to come here and fix my problems!"

Naruto blinked at the other's vehemence, but quickly shot back, "_You_ shut the fuck up! I didn't ask to come here at _all_, but the only way I can _exist_ in this place is to repair all the damage _you're_ responsible for!"

"_I'm_ responsible for?! I didn't do _any_ of that! It was all _their_ fault!"

Naruto looked around quickly, then snarled, "Oh, you are _so_ lucky that there's no door on this cage or I'd go in there and beat your face in, you self-absorbed punk!"

"Shut up! You have no idea how rough my life was!"

Naruto bared his teeth in a silent snarl. _Those are fighting words, you little chickenshit! As if **you** would know anything about **rough**, living your cushy family life and never having to fight for everything you want! **Anything** is better than **nothing**!_ "_Rough_?!" he barked. "You wanna talk to me about _rough_?! _Rough_ is not having anything resembling a family until you're twelve years old! _Rough_ is being hated by the village that _your father_ saved from annihilation even though you didn't _choose_ to carry the fox who almost killed everyone! _Rough_ is being considered a good-for-nothing when you haven't even been given a chance to prove yourself! _Rough_ is seeing someone your age die on your first out-of-village assignment that was _supposed_ to be C-rank! _That's_ rough!"

"At least you have freedom!"

"At least you have _parents_!" They glared at each other momentarily before Naruto went on. "What, you think having parents is some kind of emotional _bane_? Okay, maybe when your sister was born everybody paid attention to her instead of you and it hurt. Yeah, that sucks and it wasn't fair to you. That _doesn't_ make it okay for you to take it out on everybody else! Dad may have been spending all his free time with Nyoko, but you could have involved yourself! I_ know_ you know he wouldn't have been upset, _especially_ if you acted mature about it! But no, you had to have your little four-year-old's pity parade and make him _worry_ about you when you _know_ he frets like a woman and has a guilt complex the size of the Monument!"

He snorted. "'Freedom'. Puh. You're so soft you wouldn't last a _week_ living in my so-called 'freedom'. It takes _balls_ to live where I do and _you don't have them_."

"Yeah right!"

"So _you_ say," Naruto hissed, and unbidden memories resurfaced; hatred, fear, rejection, death, pain . . . pain of both body and mind. He saw his counterpart flinch. "Here, Wave Country is being _helped_ by Gatou instead of being destroyed by it. Here, all the villages seem to be genuine friends instead of back-stabbing allies. Here, Itachi Uchiha didn't murder his own clan. Here, Sasuke Uchiha never turned his back and ran to some sick fuck murderer just because he thought he _had_ to kill his brother. Here, the people of the village _like_ Naruto Uzumaki. Here, Naruto Uzumaki has parents and a sister. Here, Naruto Uzumaki has _family_." He sneered. "_You_ may think all of that is inconsequential and nothing you couldn't do without if it would get you your 'freedom', but you'd be dead wrong."

The other Naruto glared, but his gaze was less confident and his eyes looked a little glassy. "My fox could kick your fox's ass!"

_Why the subject change? Realize I'm **right**?_ "Ha! My fox could _kill_ your fox without blinking!"

"Kitsune don't kill other kitsune!"

Naruto pressed his face against the bars and grinned. "Mine does."

"All right, all right," Kyuubi rumbled, grabbing Naruto by the back of his shirt and lifting him away. "No more kit-fighting, amusing as it is."

"You've killed other kitsune, haven't you?!" Naruto demanded, crossing his arms.

Kyuubi blinked, as it was probably a false assumption, but decided to play and turned a grin full of fangs on the other Naruto. Licking his chops, the fox laughed harshly. "They tasted good, too."

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

Please, _never_ jump into floodwaters--you will either drown from the force of the water rushing over you or get pinned by debris and drown.

---

I realize that Naruto characters have been seen standing and running on rough water, but I have serious doubts that such a thing would be possible. The whole point of water-walking is to exert a constant flow of chakra from the feet to push _off_ of the water and, in essence, hover above it. However, for that to work the water molecules, which are elastic by their very nature, would have to be in a consistent state of calm so that the molecules weren't always stretching and contracting, which would create slight variations in surface tension. The chakra that would have to be exerted for lower surface tension would be _greater_ than the chakra that would need to be exerted for higher surface tension to maintain balance. As a result, different strengths of chakra would have to be exerted at the exact same time at multiple points with split-second changes, in rough water, to properly support a shinobi's body. If it _is_ possible, it would require years and _years_ of special training, to the exclusion of all other skills.

---

Parallel!Kyuubi's primness lives in my queen. Whenever she's sitting, she _always_ tucks all four of her feet together and curls her tail beside her or over her feet. _Always_.

---

Though it's been said that if the seal is broken (under any definition of the word, no doubt) Kyuubi will run free, this is under the assumption that Kyuubi will always intend to take over Naruto's consciousness and cause harm as well as that Naruto will never be able to develop the strength of will to fight Kyuubi's chakra and personality back on his own (whether he actually tries to or not isn't the point). In this case, Kyuubi and Naruto have an agreement that no one else is currently privy to, and kitsune do not break their promises--especially not a word of honor. If they do so they become self-destructive, and Kyuubi has already shown that he has a vested interest in self-preservation.

---

I won't say that kitsune _never_ kill other kitsune, but it seems that they prefer not to. Apparently, even good Celestial kitsune prefer to drive off bad Void kitsune rather than kill them outright.

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	30. Trees

**Author's Notes:** Chapter thirty! Well, originally I didn't have a Kyuubi-Kyuubi conversation here, but some of you mentioned being interested, so I stuck it in. Enjoy!

To **noname**: Konohamaru does exist in parallelverse and will have a _**very**_ brief appearance in _Door Number Two_--there's simply no real place for him--but he will make a more lengthy appearance in _DNT_'s deleted scenes. Naruto's parallelverse body is still fantastically weak compared to his usual canonverse body, though it's far stronger than it was at the start of the story; it's probably at about thirty to thirty-five percent of the canonverse body's strength (variables include canon!Kyuubi's presence since canon!Naruto's birth, canon!Naruto's more dedicated training, and the influence of hormones due to canon!Naruto's age). Destruction doesn't necessarily make one stronger--in a battle of chakra, canon!Kyuubi and parallel!Kyuubi would be evenly matched, but factoring in physical battle, canon!Kyuubi would win simply because males of most species are larger and more physically powerful, and thus have more leverage, than the females (the exception lies in birds of prey, in which the females are noticeably larger).

To **tot**: Parallel!Kyuubi has sort of adopted parallel!Naruto because he went to her a lot after Nyoko was born.

To **NNF**: Thank you for your support. :)

To **Kain**: By the time you reach this point, I hope you'll agree that the OCs aren't in the way. And thank you for the tip--I'll be sure to avoid those particular works in my literary travels.

To: **Miako**: So far, contemplating Naruto has been something of a joy for me. I would like for that to continue.

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 3,580

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 4/12/07

**Disclaimer:** No.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Thirty - Trees

* * *

Kyuubi watched as the body of the boy who she considered her charge suddenly jolted, stiffened, went limp, and finally crumpled in a small heap. Behind it, like a death phantom, stood a skinner but slightly taller version of herself. He grinned at her, mouth only a bit parted but fangs fully bared, and his eyes were wild but intensely focused.

She tapped the tips of her tails against the ground, but offered no other hint to her feelings.

_"Pleasure to meet you,"_ he purred, his eyes glinting as he licked his chops.

She flicked her tails away from her in annoyance, then drew them back in. _"Don't hit on me, narcissist."_

_"Oh,"_ he replied, and began to pace around her. _"Spoil my fun."_

His body was lanky and his movements loose; he was probably a particularly fast runner. She let him circle her, well aware he could not hurt her in that form. _"Why are you and that boy here?"_

_"Because we want to be?"_

She looked at him squarely. _"You are at the disadvantage, reynard, not I."_

He snorted. _"We're not here to ask your help, vixen. If I recall, it was **you** who challenged **us**."_

_"And you feel I am in error when you have overtaken the body of my kit?"_

He sneered. _"Your** kit**? A **human**? Vile vixen, how dare you soil our existence by caring so deeply for such a useless pup."_

She harrumphed and tapped her tails lightly. It would not do to cause an earthquake after the one that had just occurred. _"You're bold to be so duplicitous."_

He stopped in front of her and spat at her paws. _"Mine has proven his worth. When I escape his body his death will be the first, but it will be merciful."_

She spat at his paws in turn. _"You're pitiful, reynard."_

_"As if I need to hear that from an asslicker like you. At least I have my pride still."_

_"And I suppose it gives you that warm and fuzzy feeling while you're locked inside a mortal body. Enjoy your death, pathetic dog."_

He towered over her, mouth more open in a threat. He was taller than she had first thought. _"Speak only when you know the truth, little bitch."_

_"Protect my kit and you and I shall get along without issue,"_ she told him firmly.

He turned his back and moved silkily toward Naruto's fallen form, his own fading from sight the closer he got to the boy. _"I think you understand, vixen, that my power is so restricted that it means nothing against the clerics and their religion while I am trapped within a mortal body. If you do not protect **my** kit until the time is right, your pup **will** die."_

After he was gone, she tapped her tails slowly on the earth beneath her.

* * *

Kyuubi had apparently convinced his counterpart that they were not a threat, because the vixen did not pressure Naruto too much upon his return to control of the body and agreed to not reveal his secret to anyone unless it was imperative--though why was something Naruto could not get her to explain. Satisfied, he went back to Kakashi, who told him that he would not be doing any more life-risking aspects of saving lives and sent him to go lie down by the fire that had been built in his absence. Three civilians were there and one was the girl he had rescued. She cuddled up against him the instant he got settled, which more or less immobilized him for the rest of the day.

When night fell, he carefully dislodged the girl and left her under his blanket. Without the chatter of the ninja and with even the incoming waves seeming to quiet down in the darkness, he could hear calls for help. He looked all around for Kakashi and found the jounin asleep a short distance away in one of a two-column line-up of shinobi. The ninja had all gone to sleep for the evening--they had apparently decided it would waste resources to work at night when there was no moon and so much water to extinguish mobile flames--and there was no doubt in his mind that his hearing was superior anyway.

He set off into the forest, heading a few miles farther inland and finding the origins of the calls taking shelter in trees like the little girl had done. Muddy water flowed there, but not quickly and not high. The ground was very soggy and pulled on his feet, but no so much that it bothered him. Naruto gave thanks for the trees' abilities to slow the water and hold the earth in place as he helped all the women and children down from the trees first. He took them to firmer ground, then returned for the men. On the way back to the camp, he heard _more_ voices and the group he was with informed him that they had been part of a larger group but that it had gotten split up by the water.

So he spent the rest of the night rounding up stray villagers. He did not consider it to be a particularly dangerous endeavor, since it was all inland amongst the trees, where the water level was low and where there was always a handhold of some kind. However, one would not know that to hear Kakashi shouting about it the next morning when he discovered the area held a few dozen more people.

"Gods, you _are_ brain-damaged!"

Naruto rolled his eyes and continued to slurp up his breakfast ramen, the little girl draped across his lap again. "How do you know I did it?"

"Because you were the only one awake both when I went to sleep and when I woke up _and_ you're wet again! If you don't _stop_ this and start _asking for help_, I'm calling it quits here and taking you home!"

"_I'm_ leading this assignment!"

"Yes, you are! But from _here_!" He tapped his head for emphasis. "_You_ are the brains! The central nervous system! The hub! If anything were to happen to you, it would mean _certain death_ for the rest of us!"

Just to play with him, Naruto asked, "Metaphorically or literally?"

"_Both_! _I_ am responsible for _your_ safety! You make my hair grey when you do things like this, idiot!"

Naruto eyed his platinum-haired teacher. "I wouldn't know, would I?"

"It's _premature_ greyness!"

"_You've had it since you were BORN_!"

"_Because I knew that I was going to be dealing with YOU, so my hair just decided to get it over with as quickly as possible_!"

Naruto stared, then barked out a laugh. When he made no return argument to the jounin's rather outrageous declaration, Kakashi flopped down beside him with a weary sigh and heated up his own breakfast. Naruto gave the last third of his ramen to the girl, who had yet to go get her own meal from the next fire over, where the civilians had gathered. She accepted it with a shy smile and ate slowly and he set about writing up a very short summary of the team's findings for the Fourth. Upon finishing, he whistled for the bird his counterpart had trained, which he had let free from his pack to roost in the trees. Kakashi and the others thought he was crazy, but he trusted the bird and the bird trusted him, because she came to him the instant he called and perched patiently on his arm while he rolled the tiny message up and stuck it into the container that he then attached to the bird's ankle. The little girl was fascinated, so he let her pet the bird for a while before sending the predator on her way.

* * *

They stayed there for five more days. By then it was agreed by ninja and civilians alike that the chances of there being any more survivors was slim. The purpose of the shinobi at that point was to help the civilians who had survived _continue_ to survive. A large open shelter was thrown together in a hasty but still sturdy manner--Naruto hated to cut down the trees, but he did manage to convince the adults to cut trees that were farther up the coast and inland, preserving the areas that needed the root systems to be stable--because it began to rain lightly but steadily. As the wind began to blow, tents were broken down and strung up as shields so that the women and children would still be dry and considerably warmer than outside. Since the shelter's ceiling was low--Kakashi and others had to duck to get in--that allowed some of the tents to form soft barrier walls rather than low-hanging flaps and kept the heat close as well. It was impromptu and looked it, but everyone agreed that the shelter itself looked kind of nice.

Not to say that _all_ the women and children stayed in the shelter. The boys over ten and a number of the young women pitched in to help put things together. Even if it took two women to carry something that one man could have handled, that was one less man who was taken away from the building of the temporary homes. The young women often worked harder than the boys did and if they got too tired to carry the sections of trees then they would move on to something else, helping measure areas and set corners and seal things together. The little girls even helped by making the rounds every hour with a bucket of fresh water for those working to drink from.

In the meantime, the main shelter was more or less a single-room communal house for the entire village. The cooking was done right in the center so as to keep it away from the worst of the wind and everyone ate wherever there was room to sit, though they usually tried to pack in around the fire because they were all cold after working so hard in the rain. Not out of distaste, but rather habit, the ninja all stayed to the outskirts of the group. They were used to unforgiving weather and dressed better for it, so they gathered wherever the worst of the wind was and broke it for the villagers, who remained oblivious to their purpose for arranging themselves in such an odd way. For the same reason, they all also slept along the outside edges of the shelter; shinobi always took weather conditions into account for the journey of an assignment and so they all had waterproof sleeping bags to protect them from the rain that occasionally blew in.

Naruto, fortunately, was not expected to stay in the main shelter. It was not a matter of pride, it was a matter of sensibility. Twelve though his body may have been, son of the Hokage though he may have been, he was still a ninja who could lift twice--more, actually, but that would give Kyuubi away--what a normal man could. He could help put the buildings together and lay roof tiles without the worry of falling off, since he was _supposed_ to have superb balance, but if he _did_ fall from a roof then he would probably land on his feet anyway. The worst possible damage he could acquire in the endeavor was through injuring himself with a tile or hammering his own finger by accident. There was no way Kakashi could call that life-threatening.

"If you smashed your thumb the bruise could form a blood clot and cause you to suffer a heart attack."

Naruto gave his teacher a flat look. "I'm not made of cotton, Kakashi-sensei."

The jounin shrugged. "I'm just saying it could happen. Look, if you want to help then I won't stop you. You're right--this isn't what I'd consider life-threatening and I doubt the Hokage would either. This is completely different from wading through floodwaters."

Within five days they had built a series of shelters exactly like the first, only with walls. The villagers would sleep in the walled buildings and do everything else under the one without walls. It would be cramped, but it was an undeniable place to start over again. The women had even stitched together new protective sheets to replace the tents. The cloth was not waterproof, but it would keep the water and the worst of the wind out until real walls could be constructed--_if_ they were going to be constructed, as weather was generally mild along that part of the coast.

Naruto finally knew everything would be okay when, during the morning of a bright and sunny sixth day, he saw a group of men cut down a tree to make a fishing boat--the first of what would be a brand-new fleet.

"They don't need us anymore," Kakashi mused softly. "We can leave whenever you're ready."

"Now is fine. It'll be dark when we get home, though."

"Does that bother you?"

"Not in the least. I was just stating fact."

They met up with the Wave-nin one last time before seeing their allies off, then quietly headed away without so much as a good-bye, which was not unusual for ninja.

"Naruto-niisama!"

It was the little girl he had rescued and it was the first time he had heard her say anything at all; she had been silent even when he reunited her with her mother.

He went back and crouched down in front of her. "What's wrong?"

She held out his coat. "Don't you need this?"

He took in her still torn sundress--in the hurry to get the buildings up, clothing repair had fallen by the wayside except in extreme cases--then smiled and patted her on the head. "Thanks, but you keep it. You need it more than I do right now."

She jumped forward and hugged him. "Thank you, Naruto-niisama."

He returned the innocent embrace happily--he did not get a lot of friendly hugs like that in his world, so he was stocking up on them while he still could--and did not think twice about the decision. If he had, he might have considered that the unusual coat would find many years of use as a seasonal light jacket, a conversation topic, and a reminder of a kind boy who selflessly saved the life of a frightened little girl. He did not, though, and while some might have regarded him as an airhead for it, it was simply his way of avoiding too many sentimental thoughts which, while nice, were very distracting.

"Naruto-sama!"

This time it was a woman who had apparently just noticed that they were leaving and had run from wherever she had been to get there. "Yes?"

She bowed deeply. "We cannot possibly express through any words or gifts our thanks for your help. If you had not come, we would not have who and what we do. Please pass along our gratitude to the Hokage and tell him that if there is any way we can ever help him, then we will gladly do it."

He thought about telling her they would be billed for it later, but decided it was a tasteless and unfunny joke, so he did not . . . though he thought he might just tell the Fourth that he told them that. "Your offer is greatly appreciated and will be conveyed."

There were no more delays after that and they arrived back home well after dark.

"Don't bother the Hokage," he called to the gate watch. "It's too late for that."

"He asked to be informed, Naruto-sama."

"I'm going there--I'll tell him myself." He turned to the group behind him. He was not one for sincere post-assignment words, but since this was the first command assignment he had ever had, he thought it warranted a few. "Good work, guys. We started out with nothing and ended up with a lot of happy people. Go home and take a break--you deserve it."

The ninja dispersed quickly and silently. Kakashi, as always, remained behind with him. "Walk you home, kid?"

Three bugs crawled up his leg. He shook them off, but they came right back. "No thanks, Kakashi-sensei. You, apparently, had the hardest job of all."

". . . I did?"

"What, you mean when I did stuff you didn't like all your panicking was just acting?"

"I guess you're right."

Naruto waved a hand dismissively. "You can walk me as far as your place, if it'll make you feel better."

The short trip did not involve conversation--they were too tired for that. The only words shared were at the end, a quietly-exchanged, "See you."

About half the way up the seemingly endless cliff walk--_Note to self: Have some kind of transit device installed so I won't have to do this **ever** again._--the bugs that had been riding on the back of his calf fell off. He would not have looked, except that it was followed by a triple set of popping noises. "Oh, it was you three."

_"You smell of a faraway place, Tenko-sama!"_ Genko told him. _"Have you been to visit the sea?!"_

"Yes."

Shakko bounded around in front of him._"Tell us of it!"_

He groaned at that. He had been away from home for nearly a week and had gotten the type of sleep that could only be identified as an extended cat-nap for a full week. The idea of sharing his exploits with three eager-to-know foxes, while flattering, did not appeal to him in the slightest at the moment. "Come on, guys, not now. Please? I'm really tired. I promise I'll tell you all about it once I get some sleep."

_"Okay,"_ Byako agreed. _"It would be better to let you gather your thoughts anyway."_

"That's true. I tend to jump back and forth when I'm fully awake as it is--I can't imagine what I'd be like sleepy."

They left him briefly as he approached the house and waved at the guards who perched at either end of the roof with the stillness of stone gargoyles. They probably should have checked him to make sure he was not an imposter, but he was glad--for the sake of his sleepiness--they chose not to. _Hell, maybe they have, discreetly, and I was too tired to notice._ He unlocked the house and stumbled inside, then wandered aimlessly--trying distantly to figure out how his apartment's bedroom door had moved--until the triplets slipped inside, found him, and used their little lanterns to guide him to his room. He dropped everything inside the door and collapsed face-down onto his bed with a relieved sigh.

_If anyone ever asks, Fox-bastard, heaven is your bed after a long trip away from home._

_Mm,_ was the half-asleep acknowledgement.

_. . . Wasn't I supposed to do something before I went to sleep?_

The question went wholly unheard and unanswered, but that did not matter because if there _had_ been an answer, it would have gone unheard itself.

Byako, Shakko, and Genko curled up around Naruto's head, on his back over where his heart was, and at the small of his back above his seal. Then they, too, fell asleep.

* * *

Arashi was eating breakfast with his family like usual when Kakashi entered the dining room. A spontaneous attendance like that was not strange--Kakashi often mooched a free meal in that fashion and only got away with it because Aya cooked so much in the first place. That and Arashi would rather Kakashi mooch shamelessly than go without the most important meal of the day, which the jounin might do if he actually had to make it himself. Not that Arashi understood why it was better to get up, get dressed, and then cross a full third of the village to get to a place that had food when he could just get up, go to the kitchen in his underwear, and fry up a couple of eggs, some bacon, and some toast like Arashi used to.

_Maybe he's trying to avoid doing the dishes?_

"Hey, freeloader!" Hotaru protested vainly as Kakashi lifted the plate that he had nicked from the kitchen--or that Aya had cheerfully provided him with--and began piling everything in arm's reach on it. "Go get your own breakfast!"

"I am!" was the delighted reply.

"_Not_ from here!"

"Why not? Even Sensei couldn't eat everything here by himself."

That, also, was not unusual. Hotaru did not _really_ mind that Kakashi came up to the house every so often and the jounin made sure things stayed that way by not coming up too many times in a row and by entertaining Nyoko for a few hours whenever he _did_ drop in. She made a point to complain because it was the principle of the matter: Kakashi always visited unexpectedly and it was a rather rude thing to do, that was all.

By simply not allowing Hotaru to slow down his accumulation of breakfast, Kakashi won the 'argument' and then leaned down to kiss Nyoko on the head. "Good morning, gorgeous. How are you?"

"'M fine!" she chirped, then enunciated carefully, "How are you?"

"I'm fine," he replied. "Tired, but fine."

"Tired?" she echoed.

"Sleepy. A little bad."

"Bad?" She pointed at him. "Take a time out!"

Hotaru nearly spit a mouthful of her tea across the table, which Arashi found immensely amusing because she was not usually one to be gripped by hilarity, especially when participating in something as demanding of social propriety as a meal. "Are you okay?" he asked, able to not laugh, but unable to not grin.

"Yes," she choked weakly, clearing her throat.

Then Nyoko finally voiced what had made the entirely normal situation seem so odd to Arashi. "'Kashi-niisan, where Nii-chan?"

Kakashi looked at Arashi, confused. "Didn't he come home last night?"

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

Foxes have more gender-defining names than any other canine species, I believe. Baby foxes are kits, pups, or cubs; female foxes are vixens; and male foxes are dogs, though they're also known as vixes (singular is 'vix'), tods (presumably from the Disney movie _The Fox and the Hound_), or reynards (from the medieval story _Reynard the Fox_; I believe this is related to the French word for fox--renard--in some manner, but I can't remember off the top of my head exactly what that manner is).

In this case, I've used 'reynard' and 'vixen' as a polite form of address, while 'dog' and 'bitch' are more insulting. 'Kit' is a term of favor, though not necessarily affection, and 'pup' is slightly derisive, an indication that the addressee is still viewed to have a long way to go in growing up.

Freebee trivia: A group of foxes is a skulk, and a fox's tail is a brush.

---

I realize that in a previous chapter I said that ninja didn't know a lot about construction, yet here they're helping build shelters. 'Help' is the keyword--you don't have to know a great deal about something to be able to _help_. Naruto, on the other hand, is a person who I consider to potentially be a jack-of-all-trades, so he _would_ be able to construct at least part of a building.

---

Blood clots _can_ be dangerous. They're generally harmless and dissolve themselves, but sometimes they can block arteries and veins and cause something as innocuous as varicose (spider) veins to something as deadly as pulmonary embolisms (a dangerous blood clot that has reached the lungs from some other part of the body). As if that wasn't bad enough, a blood clot that reaches your heart or your brain can cause a heart attack or stroke, respectively.

---

Seriously, has anyone ever _looked_ at the Monument? I mean, the _stairs_ that one would have to take to get to the top . . . It might not be a big deal for a ninja, who could just hoof it straight up the cliff face if he or she chose to, but what about civilians? They _must_ go up there sometimes . . .

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Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	31. Psychology

**Author's Notes:** Chapter thirty-one! It's always the happy people you have to watch out for, isn't it?

To **tot**: Your mom and my mom would get along great.

To **Wolfkun**: Thank you very much. I think you have a good point.

To **Lachwen**: The relationship between parallel!Kyuubi and parallel!Naruto will be covered, of course, and check the conversation between Arashi and Hotaru in chapter thirteen in regards to who knows what. Canonverse and parallelverse are so different because they're separated by millions of events, not just one big one.

To **Kain**: I agree that canon!Naruto's battle-related weakness has been considerably understated. I don't know if it needs to be remedied merely with a training scene, though I can see where one would help focus the idea and I'll try it. As for the attempted murder scene, I would think that canon!Naruto's lack of concern would convey some level of normalcy from his view. Kitsune have actually gained a much bigger role here than I ever intended them to--the triplets, for example, were never meant to reappear after their debut--and their presence has become quite integral to the plot. That's simply the way it happened.

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 3,000

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 4/14/07

**Disclaimer:** No.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Thirty-One - Psychology

* * *

To Arashi, it felt as though his throat had twisted closed to prevent him from breathing. The whole world lost its color until he was seeing in shades of grey. Hotaru called to him and he moved, only to find that he was shaking violently. He lifted his hands and ran them through his hair, then let his face sink into his forearms as his elbows settled on the tabletop. He was staring blankly at nothing and . . . _Crying? Where did this come from?_ It had happened a few times before that one, every few months or so for the past three years, usually whenever there was an implication that Naruto might be hurt or whenever his imagination got too carried away with itself in regards to all the terrible things that could have happened to Naruto in a given time. _Is it connected to that dream?_

"Arashi? _Arashi_?"

He had to get control of himself or Hotaru would get even more scared and . . . "_Don't sit there_!" he heard himself snap sharply, and with cat-like grace Kakashi obediently jumped away from Naruto's empty seat. "Don't sit there . . . Gods, don't sit there."

_Why?_

Because if he sat there, then . . . then Naruto . . .

_What **about** Naruto? Why is this always centered around him?_

"_Arashi_?!"

Hotaru . . .

_That's right--she's scared._

"Onee-sama, please," Kakashi pleaded gently. "I know this is going to sound stupid, but try to stay calm."

"And where, exactly, would be the benefit in that?!"

"Helping the person who really needs you to have a level head right now? _Don't_ get up. All of you stay put."

After a long moment, he felt arms circle him and pull him close. The familiar contours of Hotaru's body soothed whatever was wrong with him and he stopped hyperventilating. _Was I doing that?_ He let out a long, shaky breath and closed his eyes, snuggling against Hotaru's arm. She stroked his hair and murmured little comforting nothings.

". . . Arashi? Are you okay? What happened?"

"I don't know," he whispered softly, still trying unconsciously to hide in her arm. "I just don't know . . ."

It was not a lie. He neither knew what had happened nor whether or not he was all right. It could have been a long-healed wound come back to bite him, subjecting him to weird seizures for the rest of his natural life. It could have been a result of his dream, though he was decidedly unsure where the connection lay there. For that matter, however, it could have been some genetic deficiency handed down from his father, who he never knew and who never lived long enough to suffer from whatever it was, if it was age-related. If the last was true, he could have passed it to Nyoko and Naruto . . .

There it was again, trying to take control of his sanity. He fought it down and attempted to burrow even closer to Hotaru, if that were possible.

"I'm going to go get Rin," Kakashi told Hotaru.

The jounin was just leaving when a scream rang through the halls of the house. Any and all movement in the vast dining room ceased until the two guards appeared outside the window. Hitomi hurried over and let them in, since the window was locked, and one closed the window as they moved to stand on the floor.

Arashi, prodded by training, got to his feet and turned to the two ANBU. "Stay here. Kakashi, with me."

"Sensei, are you s---"

"_Now_!"

They left the dining room and made their way silently along the halls. At one corner, he heard soft footsteps on the wood floor. It sounded like one of the girls and sure enough, in the next instant Akane came barreling around the corner at top speed. She collided with him and yelped, bouncing off him so sharply as to knock herself over, which would have happened if he had not caught her.

"Akane, what---"

She started babbling wildly and he could not understand a single word of it. Finally, he said impatiently, "Okay, stop. Just _stop_. Show me."

She grabbed his hand and dragged him to Naruto's room, then retreated several feet. He took hold of the door knob and turned it, wondering idly what he would find and pushing back that choking sensation once again. Inside the room he found the triplets looking ready to attack. When they saw him, they let their aggression drop away and began to mill about as if looking for places to settle.

On Naruto.

He did not know how he got to the bed, but he was abruptly there. The triplets vacated as quickly as possible to make room for him and he reached out to touch his son only to jerk away in shock. The boy was ice-cold.

"I'll get Rin," Kakashi said, vanishing from the room in a swirl of smoke.

Arashi picked Naruto up as if the boy was made of the finest porcelain and left the room. The triplets were on his heels until he was clear of the doorway, then they broke away and ran off to busy themselves elsewhere. "Akane, Hotaru's in the dining room. Take her to the master bedroom. And find some thick blankets. Remove them from the guest beds if you must."

She bowed quickly--"Right away, Hokage-sama."--and hurried off.

Arashi was unsure what to make of the situation initially. To him, cold and limp bodies always meant death. However, Naruto was breathing well and his pulse, though slow, was steady. After a long stretch of nothing, during which he dug through the closet with one hand in search of Hotaru's heating blanket, his mind supplied him with another option. Though Naruto's skin was much whiter than it was red, it could have been windburn. Windburn could make skin very cold even in the summer. If that were so, he decided as he wrapped Naruto in the blanket and turned it on the lowest setting, then a lot of heat would sting.

Sighing, he curled up around his son and closed his eyes. _This feeling . . . relief?_

". . . see him. _Sensei_ . . ."

He jumped and looked at two of his students. ". . . When did you get here?"

Rin stared at him. "Just now. We appeared right in front of you." Kakashi nudged her and she glanced back at him, then shook her head. "Let me see him, sensei." Arashi unfolded a bit and allowed her to do her medical-expert routine. "Well, just looking at him I can tell you he's physically exhausted. What's he been doing the past few days?"

"He and I took a team to the coast to help a flooded village get back on its feet," Kakashi explained. "We were almost there a full week; I saw him sleeping a few times."

"Well it wasn't enough." She bent in again. ". . . His body temperature is low. Was he locked in somebody's freezer?"

"No. He _did_ jump in the floodwater at one point, but we put him in front of a fire and got him warmed up and he helped us build for the next five days."

She turned to him. "In the _rain_?!"

"He was _fine_!" Kakashi defended. "Cheerful and helpful and charming all the women and just being _himself_! How was I supposed to tell there was anything wrong with him when _normal_ people start acting sick _when_ they're sick?!"

"People change color, moron! Look at him! He's _white_!"

"He wasn't white when we came home!"

She scowled at him angrily, but admitted, "Since he didn't cover himself with a blanket and sleeping lowers the body temperature, it's possible nothing happened until he had already been asleep for an hour or two." She sighed and refocused on her patient. "I'm confident that his unconsciousness is just exhaustion--we all sleep better in beds than on the ground and the past week has been hard on all of us. That said, he needs to be kept at a constant warm--_not_ hot--temperature for the next thirty-six hours at least. A little above room temperature, ideally, but if he seems to be in pain from it don't make him suffer. After that, raise it a couple more degrees for the next twenty-four hours. Follow that pattern until his color comes back and he doesn't feel like a corpse."

The word was like a physical blow to Arashi, and the images were worse. "Don't _say_ that!"

She blinked, startled. "I . . . I'm sorry. I didn't mean---"

Kakashi touched her shoulder. "May I speak with you for a minute?" They went out into the hall and spoke quietly, but Arashi could still hear them rather well. It was not the first time he had been glad that they had not noticed the house's good acoustics and that he had not told them about it. "There's something wrong with him, Rin. We were eating breakfast not fifteen minutes ago and I swear he was having a nervous breakdown."

Rin was startled and did not hide it. "A nervous breakdown? Kakashi, this is our _teacher_ you're talking about! He doesn't _have_ nervous breakdowns! He smiles and jokes and makes the rest of the world a happy place! Nervous breakdowns are _not_ in his vocabulary!"

"Even if it wasn't, that's what it _looked_ like."

She sighed heavily. "Well, it's always the happy people you have to watch anyway."

"What?"

"They're always hiding the most."

"_What_?"

"Ugh, you're almost worse than Obito. It's psychology, dumbass. Take two people--we'll say one's like . . . like that Hyuuga boy. Neji. The other is Sensei. Neji's a grump and it's very obvious. He has a painfully short 'like' list, and you are not on it. All he has to do is _look_ at you and you can see that he has issues. For the sake of example, we'll say they're more than mild and he had a nervous breakdown himself. Nobody would be surprised to hear it, because it was clear he was always rather depressed or otherwise overburdening himself with tasks of an either physical or mental nature. Right?"

"Uh-huh."

"Now Sensei, on the other hand, is always smiling unless he's working seriously on something. He always has a joke, clean or dirty, that's waiting to be told and never fails to say something sweet to a girl who happens to look a little down. As long as you aren't threatening people around him, he's pleased to make your acquaintance even if you've never seen him before in your life. A very genial sort. If he were to ever have a nervous breakdown, I have no doubt that anyone capable of comprehending the concept would be extremely surprised. He's just not that type of person, do you understand?"

". . . Yes."

"Are you _sure_?"

"_Yes_. I just had to take a minute to translate all that into dumbass-speak. Be patient--we're not all psychologists here."

"All right. _Why_ would everyone be surprised to hear it? Why were _you_ surprised when this whatever-it-was happened?"

Kakashi was quiet for a while, obviously thinking about it from every angle. "I guess it was because he didn't seem like someone who could fall victim to that."

"_Exactly_!"

"Rin, I only rephrased what you already said."

"Yes, but that means you understand it, which is a miracle in itself."

"Ha ha. What does this have to do with happy people hiding stuff?"

"It's a _mask_, Kakashi. That happiness hides _everything_ from _everyone_, _including_ the one wearing the mask."

". . . As in the happy person has no idea he or she isn't actually happy?"

"_Gods_, you're on the ball today! There may be hope for you yet!"

"It sounds impossibly stupid. Explain it."

"All right, listen. The happy person was originally genuinely happy. But then some bad and stressful things happen to this happy person. The happy person doesn't want to worry the other people around him--that and he's usually considered the life of the party so he thinks he _has_ to be happy--so he shoves the issues aside and _pretends_ to be happy on the outside even when he's so overwrought inside. The sequence happens over and over again, stacking stress on top of stress, but by now the happy person has totally convinced himself that he really _is_ genuinely happy when any other person would be this close to suicide. He has absolutely _no_ idea that he has such a problem, so he doesn't ask for help when he feels a little funny. Then one day, the happy person is just skipping along, humming merrily to himself, and _BAM!_ he's nailed with an anxiety disorder the size of Earth Country."

". . . This seriously happens?"

"Yup. Not particularly often, though. People who can put stuff aside that completely are pretty rare. It's called 'manic-depressive' or, more properly, 'bipolar disorder'. There's a theory going around that it's genetic, but I rather doubt it because somebody _always_ says that one thing or another is genetic. _Everything_ is genetic to some of those people, from your personality to the size of your prostate."

"I'll remember to tell my father that if I ever have a problem in that area."

"Don't just tell your father--it could be from your mother."

Obviously, the concept was something Kakashi was not ready consider. ". . . I don't want to talk about this anymore. Besides, it's off the subject."

"Yes, it is. Since I wasn't there--hell, even if I _had_ been there--I couldn't tell you what it was you saw. It could have been a nervous breakdown or a sudden migraine. I can rule out the migraine if we can convince him to let me run tests on him."

"Good luck. If you hadn't noticed, he affixed himself to Naruto."

"If we can only get someone t---Onee-sama! What perfect timing you have! You're just the person to help!"

They moved away, so he could not hear them anymore, but he had already heard enough to know what they were planning. He hugged Naruto tighter and closed his eyes. _I do **not** need help--I can figure it out by myself._ He then admitted, _I just have to find out where to start._

Hotaru entered the quiet room, followed by Kakashi, Rin, and the two ANBU guards. She sat next to him and patiently reached around him to check Naruto. "He's so cold, Rin . . ."

"Do you know anything about horses, Onee-sama?"

"Horses? A little. Why?"

"Have you ever heard the phrase, 'rode hard and put away wet'?"

"I believe so. Doesn't it refer to a horse not being rubbed down when it's sweaty?"

"Yes. The _least_ someone can do for a horse after pushing it that much is put a blanket on it, because the sweat will cool and chill the skin. That's essentially what's happened to Naruto, only he did it to himself, and on top of that he's mentally fatigued from all this earthquake business."

"I see." She stroked Naruto's hair. "Are you feeling all right after what happened in the dining room, Arashi?"

"'M fine," he muttered into the side of Naruto's head distractedly.

"Do you have any idea what it was?"

"Not a clue."

"Do you want to go to the hospital to try to find out?"

He shifted his eyes over to her.

"Arashi, I'm not saying you _have_ to go. Rin told me Naruto's not going to wake up for a while--perhaps not for a day or two. I just thought that you could get it over with now rather than waiting until Naruto's up and about and might want your attention."

_Ooh, she's certainly a wily one._ ". . . Okay."

"You have to leave Naruto here."

He rolled his eyes. "Yes, Mom."

"I'll watch over him for you until you come back."

He almost questioned this, but realized he was treating her like a total stranger. He was acting as though the woman he loved dearly, the_ mother of his children_, was some kind of pervert out collecting little boys and girls to have her evil way with them. _Pfft. As if . . ._

"What are you smiling at?"

He told her.

Predictably, she scowled and bopped him on the head. "_You're_ one to talk of perverts."

Well, it was nice he could get a normal reaction from her, anyway. He handed Naruto to her carefully, wincing when the smaller blond's head lolled limply. For a brief instant he even thought he might be sick over the mere thought of Naruto being dead, but the feeling passed. He helped keep the sensation away by repeating Rin's instructions from earlier as he stood up, but had to stop when he saw the look on her face. "Did she already tell you that?"

Hotaru nodded.

He dropped his head. "I'm sorry . . ."

She reached out and touched his hand. "Arashi, it's all right."

_No, it's **not** all right. Everyone else is great, but there's something wrong with me and there's something wrong with Naruto and that makes **nothing** 'all right'._

He looked over at the two ANBU. "You stay here."

They saluted and Rin gave them both aggressive once-overs. Stepping up to them, she looked each one directly in the eyes of the mask and said darkly, "You will not breathe a _word_ of this, got it? I'm a med-nin--I know more ways to kill someone than you do."

"Rin," Kakashi placated, "it's okay--you don't have to do that. It says in their own rules that if they try to involve themselves in the Hokage's business without good evidence they'll be eliminated."

"I was just making sure," she answered. "I don't want anyone thinking Sensei's unstable when it might just be a bad headache."

Arashi sighed to himself. _I wish it was as simple as that._

_

* * *

_

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

Yes, I realize the dream that Arashi mentioned seems to be coming out of nowhere. It's all right--I intended it to be that way. You'll get a taste of it a few chapters from now.

---

Don't get windburn. It's not fun. Windburn is when the wind removes the protective layer of body oil from your skin, which causes redness and a burning sensation. Sunburn also has those symptoms, which often causes people to confuse them, but they are different, particularly in that windburn will go away much more quickly than a sunburn and is less harmful overall. Windburn can be acquired at any time of day or night, in any season of the year, and the temperature of the wind has little to no effect on the severity of the windburn itself. The only factor that might change it is the humidity--humid air would already be heavy with moisture, so it would take longer to dry the skin out than dry air would. Moisturizing the skin after acquiring windburn (it won't make a particular difference prior) will help protect the skin from chapping and restore oils.

---

Has anybody else noticed how often, in canon, Naruto (Sasuke, too, a little) works himself to exhaustion? In training, in battles, just working on basic D-rank assignments . . . _All the time_. I realize he doesn't have a family to go home to or friends to play with, but . . . Yeesh. I think going that far is a little much.

---

A human's normal body temperature can range from 97.5° F (36.4° C) to 98.8° F (37.1° C) during waking hours. (98.6°, or 37.0° C, is simply an average--actual temperatures do vary from person to person.) Your temperature will drop about a degree when you sleep, I believe. Anything less than that is generally considered to be Stage One hypothermia. No, Naruto is not hypothermic--I just thought I'd toss that bit of trivia out for you. If your temperature drops below 86° F (30° C), you are deep in Stage Three hypothermia and likely to die. It's important to keep in mind that you can suffer from hypothermia even if you're swimming in warm water on a hot day, because the water temperature is still lower than your body temperature and will cool you down.

---

Yes, sudden jolts between bouts of happiness and deep sadness is seriously what bipolarity (or manic depression) is. The happiness-to-sadness is the most common form, but not the only one. Basically any two opposing emotions (happiness/sadness, happiness/anger, sadness/anger) may be a sign of bipolarity. I think I have, however, taken some literary license with the precise cause or causes (which haven't been fully isolated yet in our world, though the risk does seem to carry a genetic link).

---

For anyone who was wondering about the association of the mother to prostate size, according to the National Cancer Institute, risk ratios for something like prostate cancer are actually _greater_ if a man has a brother--rather than a father--who has it. The cause isn't precisely known, but "possible hypotheses include X-linked or recessive inheritance." Which means, in a nice scientific way, that it could be the mother's fault as the provider of the X chromosome and that (if it was a recessive gene) it can skip a generation from either the maternal or paternal grandfather to a grandson. And since there does seem to be a link between prostate size and prostate cancer, I don't think it's a big leap to say that prostate size could also be inherited in the same manner. Please keep in mind, though, that these are _only hypotheses_. Don't go around telling people it's fact--you'll be laughed at.

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	32. Awake

**Author's Notes:** Chapter thirty-two! What does it feel like to be a psychologically-unstable leader? This.

Whoo! Aren't _you_ guys lucky? From last Wednesday to this past Sunday I couldn't upload chapters because the site was having some kind of crisis, and this chapter was the last one I had in reserve in the document manager. Fortunately, that's been fixed (for me) as of Monday, so you'll have something on Saturday.

To **Miako**: More details. Yes, that is a problem of mine. My imagination is wonderful, but I have a hard time putting it into words (or I forget to, since I can call it up so easily). Thank you for the reminder.

To **Wolfkun**: Thank you. Naruto is one of my favorite characters, so I naturally enjoy picking him apart. It's probably not a nice thing to do, but it sure is fun.

To **shin**: The psychology of the characters--particular Naruto and the Fourth--_is_ the focus of this story, which I've indicated several times before now. Up to chapter thirty-one, the biggest incidences have indeed been subtly hinted at several times--particularly Arashi's problem. It simply came to a head in chapter thirty-one, in such a way that other characters actually noticed, and the first thing that happens in such cases is that people ask questions and want answers right away. The story development, I agree, will need better displacement.

To , who left no name: Naruto's not being concerned about being in the parallel universe is intentional, but I do think that it may need a little tweaking to get a little more time in the sun. Naruto's frailty is a direct result of the _absence_ of Kyuubi's chakra to heal him--Kyuubi has pointed out at least twice that it's dangerous for either himself or Naruto to use his chakra in their current body. As for the ninja not being ninja, a lot of things that happened in canonverse didn't happen in parallelverse (or vice-versa, if you prefer). I did note (though I admit it wasn't outright, so I'll have to clarify it in the future) that the shinobi nations actually tend to get along in parallelverse, and their clashes are more a result of their clients hiring them than any animosity they carry personally. That would make _all_ shinobi in parallelverse less--weaker, even--than they truly could be.

To **flups**: Sorry you feel that way.

To **heartthread**: Perhaps I've been _too_ subtle in trying to make the readers think about the characters and parallelverse, because Arashi's issues in particular are not a sudden occurrence; they have been hinted at since chapter twelve. Nor should the emphasis on characters be unexpected; several times I've said that _Door Number Two_ is about Naruto and the Fourth. Not the village, and not an adventure. Merely Naruto and the Fourth. Who they are--or could have been, rather--is the main plot. That's all. Naruto doesn't tell because no one would believe him (not in a way that he would still be able to operate freely), and the ninja are lax because parallelverse has not suffered the strife that canonverse has (as shown in the Kages' willingness to travel and meet together).

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 4,006

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 4/18/07

**Disclaimer:** No.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Two - Awake

* * *

He had submitted to a physical exam and was soon about half way through a psychological one. He could tell that Rin--who had been adamant about being the one to test him--still had no idea what was wrong with him. She continued to put him in imaginary scenarios, each one more stressful than the last, but he weathered them as easily as he had the first time that they had been presented to him when he first accepted the title of Hokage.

Rin tossed her papers on the coffee table, groaned, and threw herself sideways across her chair. "Well, sensei, I thought it might be a migraine, but it wasn't a migraine. Kakashi thought it might be a nervous breakdown, but it wasn't a nervous breakdown."

"I could have told you that," he murmured distantly.

"On the positive side," she added with a bit more cheer, "I _do_ know that whatever it is isn't physical at all. I _could_ send you to a psychiatrist, but I'd rather not involve outside parties if it can be helped and besides, it's too expensive and frustrating to try and then to find out one of those people can't help you either."

"Are you saying _you'll_ be my psychiatrist?"

"I will be your psychiatrist if you want. Right now, I've run all the tests I could and as far as I can tell, there's nothing wrong with you physically or psychologically. You're a little on the stressed-out side, but considering the condition of the village and your meeting with the other Kage on top of it, I'm not surprised. As a doctor with that kind of evidence, I can't _force_ you to see a psychiatrist or take pills or anything like that. You're free as a bird."

"Until it happens again."

"Assuming it does, yes. Then you'll be back in here for another routine."

He sighed and rubbed his cheek, then got up. "Well, I appreciate the effort, Rin."

She left her own chair. "I just have a few requests as a doctor."

"Requests?"

She looked at him narrowly. "I could make them orders."

"I was only asking. Doctors generally _don't_ make requests."

"Seeing as you're the Hokage and my teacher, you get privileges."

"Ah. So what are these requests?"

"First of all, I want you to take it easy while you're working. For a week or two, don't worry about filling a quota. If you need a break, take it."

"I would be _delighted_ to comply with that, especially if I can use a doctor as an excuse."

"I figured as much. Second--and I doubt that you'll like this one as much as the first--if you start feeling strange like this morning, _tell_ someone. If there's no one around, at least note the date and time, okay? I want to check for patterns. It would be _really_ nice if you could write down what you were doing at the time and what your symptoms were."

"You're right, I don't like that one as much. But okay."

She nodded. "And lastly, please _talk_ to someone. It doesn't have to be me or Kakashi--it can be Onee-sama or Kyuubi or hell, the guy down at Ichiraku's. Just someone you're willing to put your trust in. You don't have to tell your life story, but it's been proven that talking about things that stress you out can help relieve that stress."

Arashi grimaced internally._ If that's the case, what am I supposed to do when talking about what stresses me out only stresses me out **more**?_ "All right, Rin. I'll try."

"Thank you."

He went home in the dark--Rin had made sure the exams were very thorough, so he had been at the hospital all day--and peeked into Naruto's room, but it was empty. He headed straight to the master bedroom and found Hotaru reading one of her books, her hand stroking a sleeping Naruto's hair absently. She glanced up and smiled a greeting when he opened the door.

"How is he?" he asked.

"Warmer."

"That's it?"

"Arashi, he's much too exhausted to dream, so he's not going to move unless somebody else moves him."

Arashi climbed on the bed and lay on his side next to Naruto, closing his eyes and letting out an unintentionally loud sigh. _Gods, how I want all of this to be over and the way it was before Naruto was attacked--disgustingly quiet and peaceful. Then **Naruto** wouldn't be like this and **I** wouldn't be like this and . . ._

"_Wheeeee_!"

"Nyoko, shh! Daddy's sleeping!"

"Am not," he responded automatically.

"Well you _were_," Hotaru replied sourly.

He looked around groggily and realized it was daylight outside, which would explain why Nyoko was in the room when she had not been before. Next to him, Naruto had not moved at all. "What time is it?"

"Almost time for lunch, probably."

Abruptly awake, he bolted upright. "_What_?!"

"Arashi, take it easy for once!"

"I _can't_! There are a bunch of important papers I've been putting off all week that I have to sign or they'll have to be resubmitted and that could take _years_ . . ."

He stripped and flung the old clothes onto the bed--they happened to land on Nyoko, who squealed in what was either fright or glee--then pulled on some fresh ones. _The underwear will just have to last for another day._

"But Arashi---"

"It'll have to wait!" He kissed her quickly. "I'll be back for supper! . . . I think!"

When he got to the office, however, there was already someone in his chair.

"I realize that your hair is very low maintenance as far as brushing it out goes, but there's really no excuse for coming in with it looking like _that_."

". . . Sarutobi-sensei?"

The retired Hokage removed his pipe from between his teeth and exhaled a small cloud of smoke. "I take it you ran out of the house without letting Hotaru explain things?" Arashi had the decency to blush and Sarutobi harrumphed. "I suppose if I were young and spry enough I'd jump to conclusions, too."

Arashi held back a smile. Sarutobi, while very old as ninja went, was hardly decrepit and could without a doubt jump to as many conclusions as he pleased. "I'm sorry."

Sarutobi chuckled and shuffled some papers in front of him. "Don't tell me that. I'm not the one who I'm sure you summarily dismissed in your undue haste."

". . . Are you sure you don't want me to take over?"

The retired Hokage gave him a look. "I'm in a groove. Don't try to stop me."

At that point, Arashi _did_ smile. "All right. Thank you, Sarutobi-sensei." He was waved off and as he turned to leave, the door opened. He lifted a hand in greeting before realizing that the person would not able to see him from behind the stack of folders that was being transported, and quickly reached out to catch a few that fell from the top of the pile of work Arashi was not going to have to do that day. _Mm . . . What a shamefully pleasant thought._ He peered over the folders and grinned at the boy behind them. "Hey, Konohamaru. Making yourself useful for once?"

The fifteen-year-old stuck his tongue out. "I have an assignment--my team's waiting outside--but I wanted to talk to Grandpa really quick before I go. One of the secretaries asked me to bring this stuff in."

Merely for the sake of being difficult, Arashi said, "He's busy."

Konohamaru snorted and hefted the folders he held. "You think I don't know that?"

Arashi turned to his predecessor. "Can't you teach this boy manners? Kids in my day and age respected their elders."

Sarutobi harrumphed. "Wouldn't have known it, to see you at that point in your life." It was Arashi's turn to stick his tongue out, to which the retired Hokage replied, "My point exactly."

Arashi chuckled and reached around the stack of folders to mess up Konohamaru's hair, well aware that any retaliation would be hindered by the paperwork. "Good luck on your assignment. Don't let your superiority complex bite you on the ass while you have it out of its cage."

Konohamaru turned sideways and gave him a strange look for the backhanded encouragement. "Are you off your meds or something?"

Arashi grimaced and moved to leave again. "Interesting that you should ask. I think I'm about to go _on_ some, actually . . ." He ignored the looks he was getting from both grandson and grandfather and hurried home with a bit less speed than he had gone up with.

Hotaru was not surprised to see him; she did not even lift her head from her book, though Nyoko cheered at his return. "Lie back down and go back to sleep," Hotaru instructed, still not taking her eyes from her book.

Arashi wanted to argue, but the sun felt _very good_ on his back. He yawned and resettled where he had been before, closed his eyes, and let out a low breath. "Sleepy, sleepy," he heard Nyoko murmur, and an instant later he felt her flop sideways against his abdomen. She pillowed her head on his thigh and he reached down blindly to stroke her so she would not squirm and keep him awake.

"Oh," he heard Hotaru say as he drifted off, "I _can't_ let this one pass."

He wanted to ask what she meant, but the energy required to open his mouth and produce sound just seemed like too much of an effort. _I'll ask later._

_

* * *

_

The noise of hospital monitors filled Naruto's ears, but was not the dominant sound for long.

"Goddamn it, will _somebody_ tell me what the hell is going on?!"

"Sasuke," Sakura's voice answered, obviously so tired that she could not even exercise her fangirl side, "we don't _know_ what's going on."

"Don't give me that," Sasuke's voice growled. "It's been nearly five _months_! How could you still possibly not know _anything_ about this?!"

_Are they . . . **arguing**?_ Naruto wondered.

"Because we don't have a clue as to what _caused_ it! If we just start _trying_ things, we could do more harm than good! It could prevent him from waking up, cripple him, or kill him!"

"There must be _something_!"

"Stop arguing," Kakashi's voice ordered, "both of you."

_I guess so,_ Naruto mused._ That's . . . unusual._

"Kakashi," Sasuke pressed, "_tell her_. _Tell her_ to _fix him_!"

"With what? How? Unfortunately, she has a point. Without knowing the cause, trying things at random is only a death roulette."

A strong fist--Sasuke's--slammed down on the bed, causing it to shudder beneath Naruto. ". . . _FUCK_!"

Sakura sighed. "Kakashi-sensei, can you tell me, one more time, what he said?"

"He said that he was okay and that the kyuubi was okay and not a threat," came the reply of one who had told the same story dozens of times. "He said that there was no threat and that the seal was intact. Then something about 'two places at once.' That could refer to himself, the kyuubi, the seal, or some combination thereof. He gave no clue as to _where_ these two places are, though one is presumably here in his body."

Naruto relaxed himself. _Maybe I can talk again . . ._

"All right . . . If the kyuubi's not a threat, then I think it's safe to assume it's not the cause of this. That's one off an incredibly long list of possibilities."

"Great," Sasuke muttered sarcastically.

"Watch your mouth," Kakashi commanded sharply. "I don't hear _you_ coming up with plausible ideas."

"This isn't what I was trained in!" Sasuke shot back.

"Then you don't have a clue as to how important it is to proceed _carefully_, either," Kakashi snapped, "which means you have no ground from which to criticize Sakura's effort."

"Five _months_, Kakashi!"

"You think I don't know how long it's been? That I haven't been counting the days? I know you remember what I told you before you chose to leave and go to Orochimaru. You think it's any easier because he's in a hospital instead of a grave?"

"You---"

"_Enough_!" Sakura barked, displaying more of her training under Tsunade in her ability to sound as though she was seconds from killing whoever was the next one to breathe the wrong way. "Quit it before you both say things you'll regret later. Besides, Naruto wouldn't want us to be arguing over him like this--he'd much rather us do whatever was necessary to get him back on his feet as soon as possible, and bickering won't do it. Sasuke, I want you to make yourself useful for once--go get the report you submitted about finding Naruto in the training field and bring it to me. While you're there, try to find out if something like this has happened before. I'm going to borrow one of Tsunade-sama's medical texts to check for possible causes again. Kakashi-sensei, you . . . just stay here with Naruto. Think about what he said, in case there's a clue in there."

Naruto nodded to himself. _All true. You go, girl._

"We've already _done_ that forty times," Sasuke protested, "and it didn't do a thing!"

_Prick. What the hell do **you** know about healing people? You just take them apart._

"_Sasuke_!" Sakura roared. "You were _just_ complaining that we weren't doing enough, so don't even _start_ saying that it won't do any good! Exhausting our resources is the only thing we _can_ do right now! Either do something _useful_ for Naruto or _get the hell out of his room_! Your gloom and doom is _not_ helping!"

_Whoa, Sasuke. Now look at what you've done. You've turned your own fangirl against you._ Naruto snorted to himself. _You totally deserve that._

Sasuke stormed out of the room in one of his little fits and Sakura followed quietly after him. When the door was closed, Naruto decided to try to speak once more. However, he simply could not get his mouth to operate. _What the hell . . .?_ He tried a second time, and a third, but each gave the same unwelcome result. _It worked last time!_ he reminded himself. _What am I doing wrong?!_

His frantic desire to speak was the surge of emotion Kyuubi had warned him about and it ended the visit in that less than satisfactory way. _Damn it . . ._

* * *

Naruto slept for two more days before his body stiffened slightly and he began to twitch as someone in a REM sleep would. Much of his color had come back by then, and while he was still very pale, Rin's prognosis was a happy one.

"He looks very good. If you haven't, go ahead and turn the blanket up by a few degrees. I make no promises, but I think he'll wake up sometime tomorrow."

Sure enough, as Arashi got up on the fifth morning to go in for work, he was startled and elated to hear a faint, ". . . Dad?"

Arashi immediately returned to the bed and knelt on it, bending down to see his son in the dawning light. "Naruto?"

Weary, half-closed blue eyes gazed back at him. "I remember what I was supposed to tell you when I got here."

"What you were supposed to tell me?"

The boy nodded. "I was supposed to tell you that I was home."

Arashi chuckled weakly. "Yes. Yes, I know."

"And---"

"Naruto, if whatever you're about to say doesn't have anything to do with us right at this minute, stop and go back to sleep. You still need to heal up."

". . . 'Kay."

"Thank you." He kissed the smaller blond's forehead lightly. "I have to go to the office, but whenever you wake up and can stay awake, I'll be ready to listen."

"'Kay."

He stayed until he was sure that Naruto was asleep again, then grabbed his coat and left. When he returned, he was pleasantly surprised to find Naruto, eyes shut, outside practicing kata. The style he was working on should have been done about twice as fast, but Naruto was taking it slow both for himself and, undoubtedly, for Nyoko, who--though her balance was not particularly good--was working alongside him to the best of her inexperienced ability.

On a whim he joined them, taking the spot next to Nyoko so that if she fell away from Naruto there would not be a need for her big brother to scramble to catch her. He closed his eyes and fell into the rhythm of the motions, feeling his mind and body relax and clear themselves to allow the kata to flow into one another fluidly.

He was unaware of the passing of time, but realized when he heard a morning bird's chirp that he had not heard _any_ birdsong for a while, much less a _morning_ bird, and he knew he could not have been practicing _that_ long. The chirping came again, quiet and gentle, and he understood that he was being called. It was a very considerate thing to do, as calling out to him or touching him would have instantly placed him on high alert, which was not a kind thing to do to someone who was so deep in such practices. Hotaru had unintentionally frightened him many times by doing just that and he had finally told her to pick a noise from nature and mimic it whenever she wanted his attention in such circumstances.

That, however, was not Hotaru.

He ended the kata that he was performing then, straightened, and opened his eyes. The world around him was mostly dark--only a line of pale blue marked the western horizon. He turned to his left and found that Naruto had not reacted to the summons at all, whether or not he recognized what they were. So he stepped closer, bent down, and said in the softest whisper he could manage, "Naruto . . ."

"I know," was the equally soft reply. "I heard."

If that was the case, then he probably wanted to finish the sequence. Arashi stepped back and looked for Nyoko, only to find that she had gotten tired of kata and gone off to sit a short distance ahead of where she had been, where she could play quietly with a pile of rocks. He went over to her and crouched beside her, watching her attempts to build what he assumed was a tower.

"See, Daddy?" she asked, pointing at the formless lump. "Mountain."

"Yes, I see. Very good." He was not lying; since she had named it, it _did_ look like a mountain . . . in a very small and pebbly way. "You want to go inside now?"

"Hungry," she pouted.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I didn't mean to make you wait. Next time, though, you can go inside and tell Mommy that you're hungry so you don't have to wait for me."

She got to her feet and he dusted her little bottom off before sending her back toward the house with a light pat. She walked right under Naruto, who was in the middle of a kick, and Arashi could hear Hotaru sucking in a frightened breath. He did nothing, though, because he knew that Naruto knew Nyoko was there. It was popular opinion among those who did not practice kata and knew little about them that those who _did_ practice lost touch with the world entirely. This was true up to the point of the personal-space bubble--anyone or anything that came within its bounds was identified and labelled as either a threat or harmless and treated accordingly.

Sure enough, Naruto's leg passed mere inches above Nyoko's head without the child even noticing. A few kata later, Naruto straightened and opened his eyes, then stretched. "Wow, that felt really good."

"You ready to go in?"

Naruto looked up at him and smiled. "Yeah."

They caught up to Nyoko's tiny stride quickly, but slowed down to let her lead the way.

"How are you feeling?" Arashi inquired.

"A little stiff, but not as stiff as when I woke up."

"You seemed to be moving all right."

Naruto nodded. "I was at it since lunch. Mom said I've been asleep for four days . . .?"

"Yes."

"Sorry."

Bewildered, Arashi asked, "What for?"

"I haven't even started on the report."

He frowned. "If you weren't recovering, boy, I'd hit you."

"Yeah, I know. Oh, and I told the village we'd bill them later."

Arashi gawked in disbelief. _How could he be so . . . **insensitive**?!_ "You did _what_?!"

Naruto started laughing. "I knew it'd work! You're so gullible, Dad."

_Not funny, you little brat._ Arashi pointed at his son's shoulder. "What's that?"

"Yeah right."

Arashi snorted and reached out, collecting the object in question carefully. Naruto looked and jumped away in his surprise. "Now _that_ is gullible," Arashi told him, cradling the praying mantis in his hands. "Never be so naïve as to think that everyone is going to try to get you back for a joke you pulled on them."

"Yeah? Well---" Naruto abruptly tucked his chin in slightly and stiffened.

Arashi watched him, recognizing the behavior but not wanting to give it away, especially to Hotaru. An owl that was flying overhead and hooting gave him an excuse to take a sweeping look around at the guards. Both appeared to be focused on Nyoko and Hotaru, but he could see that they had indeed been alerted by Naruto's behavior as well. He turned, pretending to follow the owl's path of flight so that he could find out what Naruto had sensed that he had somehow missed, and realized with a chill of concern that it must have been scared off by someone or something in the trees.

Naruto vanished without warning, reappearing as he deflected a mass of cloth away from Nyoko. Another mass of cloth--they were clerics, Arashi concluded--came down hard on Naruto and the two grappled with the fiercely struggling twelve-year-old. A third cleric went in to try to grab Nyoko again.

In the next instant there was a fantastic explosion of movement, but very little noise. The two ANBU went for Nyoko and Hotaru and tried to rush them inside, but clerics had already gone through the back of the house and met them at the door. Arashi lunged forward and bodily hurled the two clerics away from Naruto, whom he grabbed and took to join Hotaru and Nyoko. Then he and the ANBU formed a protective triangle, even though the odds of three protecting three against an unknown number were low.

Arashi decided to level the odds and whistled shrilly as the clerics drew nearer. Within a minute, the clerics were completely surrounded by a ring of very angry night shift gate watch and MP patrols. The new arrivals dove in for the kill, but soon found themselves at a stalemate. It might have gone on for a while if an unearthly, piercing shriek had not come from the trees, sending forest wildlife of all kinds running for safety elsewhere. High above them, a blast of flame lit the night sky, illuminating the form of a massive red fox.

The clerics became subdued, then disappeared entirely. The ninja quickly formed ranks to fight the kitsune, but Arashi called them down. The tenko screamed and thrashed about a while longer, then jumped toward them, shrinking as it came until it was only about the size of a horse. It landed on silent paws and looked at Arashi, who nodded his thanks, then turned and bounded into the forest without a sound.

Supper was a quiet affair. The girls were immensely shaken up by the event and picked at their food distantly. Nyoko had never behaved so well in her life, saying 'please' and 'thank you' whenever Hitomi offered her something. Hotaru seemed to be eating relatively normally, which Arashi was grateful for, but stared resolutely at her plate. Naruto was not eating at all, preferring to keep his hands folded in his lap and stare at his plate with more energy than Hotaru. Arashi would have scolded him, since he really did need to eat, but there was little that could be said without sounding hypocritical, as Arashi had barely eaten either.

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

Underwear. Yeah. Ninja are probably okay with wearing the same underwear a few days in a row. Why? Because it wouldn't be prudent, depending on the type of assignment, to pack seven days' worth of clothes for a seven day trip (the more dangerous the assignment, the less clothes). That's too much weight, food is far more important to carry, and they won't always be going somewhere where there might be a safe house and/or a stash of clothes (unless there's some kind of hammerspace jutsu that carries their clothes for them).

So for a seven day trip, probably two or three sets of clothes and two or three sets of underwear. More underwear before more clothes, yes, but I'm sure there would still be instances where even changing underwear would fall by the wayside. I'm not saying they don't bathe, just that they'll wear dirty clothes.

---

Konohamaru is not actually fifteen even during Part II/Shippuuden--he's around eleven. I did that on purpose because if Kyuubi can have a change as huge as a gender-switch, then certainly peoples' ages can be a little mixed up, too.

---

As for Sakura's lack of reverence, I really do think the diehard Sasuke-worship would have more or less worn off by the time they're seventeen (it seems to have done a little of that during Part II/Shippuuden anyway, and that's two years earlier). There's no doubt that Sasuke's a good-looking boy, even if his personality leaves a lot to be desired, and I can't fault Sakura for her attraction to him from that angle. However, Sakura's grown up too, and learned what she can be as a shinobi. If Sasuke was being unusually difficult, I don't think Sakura would hesitate to hand his ass to him--especially if she was tired, and thus short-tempered.

Also, I don't think Sasuke would call Kakashi 'sensei' if he was upset with him. Sasuke's not respectful enough to maintain that kind of politeness toward _anyone_ when he pitches one of his royal tantrums.

---

Kata are patterns of movements generally associated with fighting techniques (but can extend to other things), used to hone speed and skill either in solo training or, after the proper techniques are learned, without causing an opponent harm in practice or exhibition matches. Whether kata is actually effective for training or stifling to the growth of a person's skill is a matter of opinion and debate in certain circles. I made up the space bubble.

---

I'm sure it was obvious, but since I didn't give a name, yes, the red tenko _was_ parallel!Kyuubi.

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	33. Taken

**Author's Notes:** Chapter thirty-three! The dream, the clerics . . .

To **heartthread**: When I originally began I didn't have an idea for the plot _other_ than putting Naruto and the Fourth in a place simultaneously (and that's now quite obvious, as you and others have rightly pointed out), but I did still want Naruto to feel awkward about it, so an AU was out of the question. Unfortunately, I think I got a little too excited about exploring Naruto and the Fourth (because it seems that neither of them are deeply examined otherwise unless it's out-and-out angst), so I forgot about Naruto's awkwardness. Plus, I'm beginning to believe now that I didn't know Naruto's character as well as I thought I did then (conversing with reviewers has been a _big_ eye-opener there), so I subconsciously skipped out on that part as I was writing. Truthfully, I actually wanted to rewrite _DNT_ before I posted, but then I decided to post as is and see what readers wanted to see more of. It was a good thing I did, too. I would still like to rewrite _DNT_, but I'm going to finish posting it first (since it's almost done anyway and the comments will be helpful) and take a break to work on some other stuff before returning with fresh material.

To **Wolfkun**: You kind of make me wonder what that means. ;) I prefer drama and character development, too, but I don't consider myself "older" . . . Though I suppose that compared to some of my peers--not really on this site, but in real life--I'm positively ancient, psychologically.

To **A-man**: Someone else said it helped to stop reading for a few weeks and then come back and read the accumulated chapters. Since many of them are a little slow and might ramble, it seems to make that more bearable. Perhaps you should try that, if you think it might help, and if it doesn't it may be best to stop reading until I finish posting completely.

To **Anon.**: That's a fascinating and perfectly reasonable theory--it makes plenty of sense to me. My only hitch would be how many scrolls and seals would be needed (one per article/food?) or if the exchange, in the case of clothes, could be two-way to continue space-saving (I would assume so).

To **khinei**: The main plot essentially revolves around Naruto and the Fourth, but there will be considerable advancements in side plots from here on.

To **Taylor**: That's okay. My drawing talents are mediocre at best (it seems to me that everyone else can write _and_ draw), so we all have our weak points. :) That's actually a very good suggestion and I have been thinking about it. I won't be including it before _Door Number Two_ is finished, since it's a little late to be worrying about it, but if/when I rewrite I'm planning to do that somehow.

To **Miako**: The root cause will be a surprise, I think. I actually know something of running nonstop like that; my middle school gym teacher would have us run varying lengths of time at random intervals and would _increase_ our running time if he thought a kid was slacking. The man is the devil incarnate.

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 2,800

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 4/21/07

**Disclaimer:** No.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Three - Taken

* * *

There, in the warm life, there was no difference between eyes that were open and eyes that were closed so he kept his eyes closed because it was easier that way. He was a bit tired, so he let his head droop--not that he had much control over it anyway because it was so heavy--and let his body shift back and forth with the inhale-exhale of The Provider, whose rhythmic lifebeat lulled him toward the non-Awareness and---

Ow!

Next to him, across from him, The Other was apparently just leaving the non-Awareness. It was rare that they were ever Aware together, but their state of Awareness was not important. That the non-Aware one was close by was all that the Aware one needed. Not long ago they had both been smaller and had each been startled more than once to find that the other one was not near. Fright had followed immediately, after which had come the Awareness to the one who had drifted away. They had rejoined and cuddled up together, but recently there had been no need for that as they were both rather big. Almost too big.

He conveyed his annoyance and The Other reached out apologetically. He extended his own arm and they joined hands. For a time they played together like that, simple but fun, but he quickly grew tired again and once more drifted toward the non-Awareness. The Other touched him reassuringly and the clumsy caresses soothed him.

He returned to Awareness prematurely. The Other was touching him over and over; first one hand, then the next. He recognized the behavior immediately--The Other was afraid. To ease The Other, he conveyed questioning and The Other conveyed strange sensations. It did not make sense until he realized the warm life was gone and all that was around them was cool slickness. He was reaching out to investigate when he felt a sudden pressure all around him, moving him against his will. The Other clutched at him in fear, kneading his chest rapidly. He tried to convey reassurance, but The Other knew he was scared too and refused to be coddled.

The pressure came again and again, giving them less and less time to fight back against it before the next one. He could feel himself being taken away from The Other and fought mightily to stay, but he was no match against the pressure. The Other began to fret anxiously and he tried again to be reassuring. Wherever he was being taken, he had the feeling The Other would end up there as well.

The Other seemed to agree with this logic, but conveyed nervousness all the same. He did not begrudge The Other the feeling, as he felt it too. There was no way that the place they were going could possibly be any better than where they had been. He did, however, resign himself to whatever was going to happen.

Then, abruptly, there was panic.

The Other was in danger.

He tried to go back, but he could not turn around and the pressure forced him forward, to leave The Other behind. He arrived in a place that was bright and cold, but all he knew was the terrible, tight sensation in his chest and the pain of something squeezing around his neck. He cried, begging to be returned to The Other, but his pleas went cruelly unanswered. Something rough scrubbed across him and it hurt, but he was too involved in The Other to care.

Suddenly, there was silence in both his mind and heart.

The Other was . . . gone.

The pain was unbearable, but all he could do was scream.

"Arashi? Arashi . . ."

He gasped sharply and opened his eyes to see Hotaru looking at him in concern. He sat up, fighting off a wave of dizziness, and swallowed convulsively.

". . . Arashi?"

He was definitely going to be sick, so he scrambled into the bathroom just in time for the decidedly unwelcome return of both his supper _and_ lunch. Even after there was no more to bring up his body continued against his will to heave fiercely, determined to make him expel his stomach entirely, it seemed. When it finally came to an end he wiped his face, flopped limply to the floor, and lay with one arm flung over his eyes. His diaphragm and ribs ached and his throat stung; his mouth tasted disgustingly of muddled stomach acid.

_**Why**? Why am I having this dream? What is it about? What does it **mean**?_

"Here, sweetheart," came the gentle offer. He moved his arm away from one eye enough to find Hotaru kneeling beside him holding a glass of water with a slice of orange squeezed into it. "Take a sip, swish it around, and spit it out. It'll clean your mouth."

He recognized the remedy immediately; his mother had shared it with her when she had developed morning sickness with Naruto, so she always kept the ingredients nearby. Obediently, he did as instructed, flushed the contents of the toilet, then set the glass down and settled against her. She cuddled him lovingly and kissed his head as she stroked his side with one hand. Her gentle understanding that he was in a pain he could not or did not want to describe was a balm to his conscience and he struggled to regain control of his wayward emotions. When he thought he had done so, he spoke.

"I need to check on the kids."

"Are you sure you should? You just---"

He looked her in the eyes. "Hotaru, I _need_ to check on the kids."

She frowned, but said, "All right."

He searched around her stomach until he could hear that both of the twins were there and unharmed, then put her back in bed and went next door to the other master bedroom, where he had insisted Naruto and Nyoko stay for the next few nights, so they would be closer to him and safer in case the clerics showed up again. He leaned over Hitomi, who had insisted on staying with them, to check on Nyoko, then went around to the other side of the bed to check on Naruto.

With his offspring safe and accounted for, Arashi returned to Hotaru and fell asleep with one ear resting against her stomach, just in case. He counted them again the following morning before he left to go to the office, perhaps fearing the night before had been a dream all its own and something really had happened. Nothing had, but he hovered over Hotaru anxiously for several minutes, wondering if everything would be okay while he was gone.

"Want me to watch her, Dad?"

He looked over at the door. Naruto stood there with a sleeping Nyoko in his arms. ". . . If I could ask such a thing of you, yes."

"Sure." Naruto placed Nyoko down in the spot Arashi had vacated not long ago, then lay down behind her and settled with a wide yawn.

The Fourth leaned across the bed to kiss his son's cheek. "Thank you."

"You're gonna be late," came the sleepy chide.

"I know, I know . . ."

When he came back that evening he counted them again, then again before bed. It really was ridiculous, but he could not get himself away from it. He was simply getting more and more scared as he felt himself becoming less and less able to protect what he held so dear. _But how could it possibly be that? I haven't had the chance to fight yet . . ._ _There has to be an answer, but where is it?_

_

* * *

_

Naruto was breaking for lunch--he would do an afternoon assignment afterward. Kakashi had told him he would make a good chuunin and while he had taken the intended praise with a straight face, he had laughed once they split up.

"Yeah, I bet I _would_ make a good chuunin," he chuckled, "if I hadn't already surpassed that level. Man, if only they kn---" He stopped short. The ANBU guarding the house were lying prone on the roof. Quickly but with caution, he checked on them. They were breathing, but under a powerful genjutsu. ". . . They're asleep, like last time." Naruto broke it, but it would still take time for them to wake up.

He could not wait for them--the clerics were clearly already inside the house.

Swiftly, Naruto slipped in through a kitchen window and into the pantry. He opened the cupboard on the wall and sifted through the poisons on the high shelf. Grabbing what he thought he might have use for, he hurried silently through the house. A voice reached his ears from a considerable distance, but he recognized it instantly.

"You three keep Nyoko safe! _Teikiatsu_!"

He broke into a run. "_Mom_!"

Just as he got to the door to Nyoko's room, there was an explosion and the whole house shook and groaned. Bursting into the room, he saw that the entire east wall had been wiped out. The clerics were hurt, but not enough to cut their losses and leave. As they stepped toward the house, Naruto took in the sight of Hotaru balanced for a fight, two ornate sensu--tassels dangling from the frame on long, thin braids of silk--in her hands.

The Fourth had told him once that he had taught her to use her chakra for defense. _But I hadn't figured she was **this** strong._ "Mom?!"

"Naruto! Get your father! Hurry!"

He could not--it would take too long. He grabbed Hotaru and pushed her into Nyoko's playroom, where the other girls were huddled with Nyoko and the triplets. None of them were armed; the attack had, as usual, been too sudden. _You'd think we would have tried to plan better for this, in hindsight._ "Stay here!"

"But Naruto . . .!"

He retrieved one of the vials he had brought and pressed it into her hand. "This is a hallucinogen. If they get past me, throw it on the floor at their feet so the glass breaks. Don't open the window for anything."

"Naruto!"

He turned to the triplets. "The three of you get Dad!"

_"But Tenko-sama---!"_

"Then one of you get Dad and the other two stay here or all of you run away! I don't give a flying fuck as long as _somebody_ tells Dad!"

_"Understood, Tenko-sama!"_ was the reluctant agreement.

He turned again, this time to Shinju. "Stuff a blanket or something into the bottom of the door as soon as I leave!"

She nodded.

He dashed into the bedroom, slamming the door behind himself, and faced the two clerics who had reentered the house.

"Please come with us, Tenko-sama."

"Like hell." With that, he threw two of the vials of inhalant poison on the floor. A lot of the effect of the poisons would be lost with the hole in the wall, but the vials were concentrations and would no doubt have more of a punch than something slightly diluted in water. Kyuubi's strength would protect him. "Take a deep breath, you sons of bitches. This is just for starters."

* * *

Arashi was actually having a good day for once. The weather was wonderful, he had not had a load of paperwork, and he was going home early. Naruto had settled into a rhythm of one assignment in the morning and one in the afternoon, so he hoped he could catch his son before the boy ran off and convince him to take the afternoon off as well. Then they could wrestle or do some sparring together. If not, maybe he could track Naruto down and do some grunt work for a day. It had been _ages_ since he had decided to do anything aside from the sporadic A- and S-class assignments that there were not enough personnel for.

_Maybe we could get some ramen on the way home, too. Yes, today is a fantastic day for---_

He stopped dead, his mouth falling slightly open and his blood running cold. Everything looked undisturbed except for the ANBU on the roof woozily lifting themselves to their feet. He dashed to the house and leaped onto the clay tiles.

"What's going on?!" he demanded.

They saluted weakly and one, a new recruit, said, "Sir, we . . . fell asleep."

"I can see that!" he spat impatiently. "I want to kn---"

"Sir," the other ANBU, a seven-year veteran, replied solemnly, "my deepest apologies. It was some sort of genjutsu. I tried to counter it, but was rendered unconscious before I could finish."

"You were _rendered unconscious_?!" he nearly screeched. "You're _ANBU_! ANBU don't get knocked off like genin!"

_Unless the ones doing the knocking off were clerics,_ he reminded himself.

"Did you see the ones responsible?" he asked the pair sharply, fiercely strangling every part of himself that was not of the ninja inclination.

"No sir," both responded apologetically.

He cursed and dove off the house, circling it to find clues. The first clue he found was the massive absence of a wall on the east side. The pattern of damage told him that it had been caused by Hotaru's twin sensu. Dread nibbled at his mind as he dashed through the hole and found the floor of Nyoko's room littered with shards of broken glass--glass that had once formed vials that held the concentrated poisons which he had kept in the pantry cupboard.

The door to the playroom had been forced open; he ran to the door and skidded inside. The remains of a vial were on the floor there as well. Genko, Byako, and Shakko lay on the floor nearest the door, unconscious and twitching. Their chakra was slowly healing numerous bad wounds--he cringed inwardly to think how bad those wounds had been before he had arrived. Beyond the triplets, his girls lay spread across the floor. None looked hurt, just unconscious, and behind them, kept as safe as the girls could manage, lay Hotaru.

"Hotaru!" Her pulse was strong and she responded to his voice. He checked quickly on the twins with a flicker of chakra--both tickled back almost immediately. "Hotaru? _Hotaru_?"

"Mm . . ." Her amber-brown eyes opened slowly. ". . . Arashi?"

"Are you okay?" he inquired anxiously, already checking her for injuries both externally and internally.

"I'm . . . I'm fine. They . . . They took . . . the children."

He looked around the body-littered room frantically, feeling a swell of guilt. He had seen Hotaru and everything but her health and the health of the twins had vacated his mind. "Naruto?! Nyoko?!" The two ANBU appeared and he snapped, "_Find them_!"

Two weeks later, every available ninja returned to Konoha with nothing to report for the effort spent searching.

The clerics had, essentially, vanished.

Arashi sat back in his chair, his eyes closed, fighting back tears. It was the worst day of his life, surpassing even the day that he had found Naruto mutilated and comatose in the private training field. He had only the smallest hope of finding his children.

_Not that I'll let that stop me._

He placed his hands on his desk and shoved himself to his feet. "I'm going for a walk," he told Kakashi, who had more or less been milling about the village like a little lost puppy since Naruto had disappeared. "_Don't_ follow me."

Without thinking, he retraced the path he had first taken that led him to meet Kyuubi. She had been running from some villagers who had wrongfully accused her of digging up all of their crops--the culprit turned out to be a weasel demon--and had every intention of killing her. They had nearly collided in a clearing but nimbly dodged one another at the last instant. She had gone into the undergrowth immediately across from where she had exited and seconds later a group of pitchfork-waving civilians had shown up. Because his sense of justice had been piqued, he had pointed them eastward instead of southward and gone in search of the nine-tailed fox. She, unwilling to harm the villagers, had seen what he had done for her and been grateful--she had been even more so when he offered to let her remain in Fire Country for as long as she wished if she promised she would not cause any village or its people trouble.

_She's always been there for me since then._

However, he could not put her in danger by asking her to find Naruto and Nyoko. It was not entirely guaranteed that she could anyway, as the triplets had not been able to sniff out a path of travel in any direction.

_But now what can I do, if not that? There are no other clues . . ._

"Dad?" a small voice suddenly asked quietly.

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

So yes, the beginning of this chapter covered Kayaku's death, Kayaku being "The Other". (I'm telling you this because while I did intend for it to be vague, it shouldn't have been indecipherable. If it was, tell me.) Arashi does remember the 'dream', as it's a recurring one, but because it's sounds and feelings rather than sights it's too abstract for him to know what it's about--only that it makes him scared and sick.

---

And we see that Hotaru _can_ fight. Her fans are similar to one that Sakura can be seen holding in a certain piece of official art. The attack she used was not a specific jutsu, rather a funneling and sudden release of her natural elemental resonance, which is clearly to Wind. _Teikiatsu_ means 'cyclone' and _sensu_ are bamboo-frame fans that can be folded.

---

I promise you--the triplets are _fine_.

---

Some history for parallel!Kyuubi. How that event differs from canonverse will be covered later.

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	34. Prison Sanctuary

_**Important! Please read!:**_ Saturday's update is probably going to be late--a full day or more, possibly. My grandfather is going to a hospital three hours away from his home to have surgery done on his throat; he'll be gone all day Thursday and all day Friday. In the meantime, my grandmother will stay home and needs someone to make sure she takes her pills and gets to dialysis on Friday. I have been recruited for the day shift of this caretaking duty, since I'm not doing anything else at the moment, and even though my grandfather is _supposed_ to return home Saturday he may have to stay at the hospital until Sunday (which means I'll possibly be continuing with the caretaking through Saturday, too). After that, I'll be driving my grandmother to dialysis for the next week or two or three, but that's only three times a week and shouldn't really affect the posting schedule. Anyway, the idea is to expect chapter thirty-five to be a little delayed, don't panic, and enjoy it muchly if I manage to post it on time.

**Author's Notes:** Chapter thirty-four! Naruto has a busy time ahead of him . . .

To **NNF**: Well, this version will be up for a while since I'll be taking a break after it's posted, but I suppose I can leave it up even if/when I rewrite. The rewrite isn't going to be that much different from the original--filling in things more than removing them--but it might be fun to have those differences easily-accessible.

To **khinei**: Hm. Seems I'm going to have to rework the first page of that chapter--so far it seems too confusing. The repetition does have a point, but it may indeed be a little _too_ repetitive. I'll have to take a closer look at that for later.

To **Wolfkun**: Wow! That's very flattering--thank you! It's nice to know my work is worth thinking about. :)

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 3,220

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 4/25/07

**Disclaimer:** No.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Four - Prison Sanctuary

* * *

Arashi whirled, heart thudding hopefully. Sure enough, Naruto stood just inside the ring of trees, Nyoko in his arms. "Naruto!" He started to rush to them, but Naruto backed hastily away and he stopped, hurt. ". . . Naruto?"

Naruto shook his head. "You can't get close."

"Why not?"

He lifted his head out of the way and Arashi felt his fury burn brightly at the ruby collar circling his son's neck. "They'll choke me with this if you do."

"Then . . . I guess it's too much to hope that you're coming home?"

Naruto shook his head solemnly. "I'm not, but Nyoko is." He tilted his head and Naruto explained, "They're letting her go in return for my full cooperation."

Arashi's heart dropped into his sandals. _Oh no . . . What does **that** mean?_ ". . . Oh . . ."

Naruto set Nyoko on the forest floor. "Go to Dad, Chan-chan."

Nyoko obeyed promptly, toddling quickly to Arashi, who swept her up into his arms and hugged her tightly to himself, unaware until that moment of how his arms had ached to hold his children. "Are you okay, baby girl?"

"Uh-huh," she whimpered, nuzzling into his collar.

When he lifted his head, Naruto was already walking back into the trees, disappearing from view and possibly from his life entirely. The panicked cry burst from his throat before he could stop it. "_Naruto_!"

His son--more a man than ever before--stopped and turned back. "Oh. And tell Kakashi-sensei that I fed his cows for him right before he got home, like he asked me to." The instant he finished the sentence, he started to choke. He dropped to his knees, clawing at the collar around his neck. Arashi started to run to him, but he vigorously waved his father off. After some more choking, he fell back and gasped raggedly, then rolled angrily to his feet and snarled at the top of his lungs. "_What the FUCK was that for, you bastards_?! _I was just doing a guy a FAVOR, damn it_! _Why do you DICKHEADS have to be so damn PARANOID_?!" He shook himself in a manner not unlike a dog and said to Arashi, "Like I said, I fed Kakashi's cows for him."

Arashi nodded blankly.

Naruto faded into the trees and Arashi stood there for an hour--though for what he did not know--before deciding that the best course of action was to go home. Nyoko, undoubtedly worn out from spending two weeks in a place far from home, had already fallen asleep on his shoulder. Hotaru nearly screamed when she saw Nyoko, but he managed to silence her before she woke the exhausted toddler up. He did not want to let Nyoko go, but Hotaru was just as desperate to hold her as he was, so he relinquished her to her mother.

"And Naruto?" Hotaru questioned hopefully.

Arashi shook his head. "He's alive and healthy, but that's all I can tell you. I wasn't allowed to get close to him or they would choke him with a collar. He . . . He traded his obedience for Nyoko, Hotaru."

When she finished asking her anxious questions, for which he had few answers, Arashi called together a trusted group of people to help him figure out what he should do about Naruto.

_. . . No way . . . It couldn't mean anything . . . But it was an awfully strange thing to say . . . Oh, what the hell--it could be a clue._ "Kakashi, you don't . . . have any cows, do you?"

Kakashi blinked. "No . . ."

"Shit . . ."

"Any reason?"

"Naruto said that he fed your cows for you before you got home. He said you'd asked him to do it."

"That would be rather nice, except I don't have cows, as I said. Even if I did, I wouldn't have needed to ask him to feed them for me because I haven't been on a solo assignment in ages, so I would have done it myself."

"Fantastic," Arashi muttered. "I thought it might have been a clue, but they might have had him doped up on something."

"_Unless_," Kakashi mused, drawing his teacher's attention, "it's the code Obito and I've been playing around with."

"Code? What code?"

"Well, we were trying to come up with a code that could easily be covered up as part of an everyday conversation."

Arashi frowned. "We already have that."

"Yeah, and it's mostly decipherable already."

"All right. So you taught this to Naruto?"

Kakashi shook his head. "No, I didn't. That's the weird thing. Obito and I never talk about it around other people and I never mentioned it to Naruto. There's really no way he could know it."

"Well we can't ask him if he's not here. What does it translate to?"

"Grass Country."

"Anyplace specific?"

"No."

Arashi sighed feebly. "That's better than nothing. All right. Kakashi, you're leading a six-man squad to Grass in a week and a half."

"Why so long?"

Arashi pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. "I don't want them to realize that he passed us any information. The time will let them think that we found a way to track them down." He let out a long breath. "From the way Naruto bargained for Nyoko's release, they want him for something, so I think he'll be safe for a while."

_Or at least, I **pray** he'll be safe for a while._

So he was considerably startled, a week and a half later, when his meeting with the team that would retrieve Naruto was interrupted by the appearance of four clerics. The team instantly took up a defensive position in front of Arashi, who rose to face the trespassers. "What the hell do _you_ want?"

"Tenko-sama," one said harshly.

"I don't know who you're talking about."

"Your son, Hokage," another snapped, annoyed.

The lack of respect did not go unnoticed, but Arashi quieted his subordinates' fury; he did not care in the slightest if the clerics disrespected him at that point. _They'll get theirs._ Arashi remembered then--Naruto had said that the clerics had called him 'Tenko-sama', and he had thought they might have meant Kyuubi. _Apparently, they **were** talking about Naruto, though why they would call him that is beyond me._ "Last I knew, _you_ had stolen him from me. What makes you think I know where he is now?"

"He's a boy. He'd come home."

"Not _here_, he hasn't."

"He broke our agreement. We will take the girl as compensation."

Arashi bristled. _Nyoko! How **dare** you . . .?!_ "Over my dead body, you bastards."

"Then bring him to us in three weeks."

Arashi snarled. "You stupid fucks, I told you I don't know where he is! Boy he may be, but he's also a ninja! He has no need for a _home_, especially when this place would _obviously_ be the first place you'd look! He can live _anywhere_!"

"Three weeks," was their only response as they vanished.

"_Fuck_!" Arashi lunged out the window, the recovery team hot on his heels, and rushed home. He burst into the house, searching back and forth frantically. "Hotaru?! Nyoko!"

"Daddy!" Nyoko chirped cheerfully, pattering into the hall and toddling toward him. He scooped her up and cuddled her, relieved. "Daddy home early!"

"Is anything wrong?" Hotaru asked, noticing the armed team behind him as she exited the lounge with Hitomi and Sakura on either side of her.

He stroked Nyoko's hair absently. "Were there any clerics here? At all?"

"None that I know of," she replied. "Why? Did you see them?"

He nodded. "Naruto got away from them somehow. When I told them he hadn't come here, they said they were going to take Nyoko back."

She gasped and then scowled in fury. "Why those little . . ."

"I just wanted to check on you," he said, reaching out an arm to draw her closer. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"We're all fine," she assured him softly, leaning into his chest and resting her head on his shoulder, hearing his heart calm from its worried racing.

A cough that sounded suspiciously like a '_kon_' sounded at the end of the hall and Arashi looked up to see Aya standing in the doorway to the kitchen, frowning at him urgently. He could not help but notice, though, the odd white fur belt she wore and the wet black tips of what appeared to be a black slipper and a red slipper. The ninja behind him shifted, all of them keyed up after the visit from the clerics.

Arashi made what he felt was the safest choice right then. "It's all right, Byako. If you have something to tell me, you can."

There was a _pop_ and Aya disappeared, to be replaced by Byako and revealing Genko and Shakko, who had been hiding under 'her' skirt. The other ninja shifted once again, but to a more relaxed stance. Almost every ninja chuunin and higher knew that the Fourth had a connection to the kitsune of Fire Country; it was for the villagers' peace of mind and protection of such a trump card that they never spoke of it to the villagers or genin, neither of whom were exactly known for their silent tongues.

The three kitsune scurried over to him and Shakko took place at the front, lifting his three tails into the air. Genko and Byako added theirs to make nine. Arashi had not noticed at the time, but apparently they had been rewarded for doing their best to protect Hotaru and Nyoko and they had since been showing their new tails to anyone who would look at them long enough. For the first time those extra tails were coming in handy. Since Shakko had the honor of being the 'nine-tailed' fox without conflict, Arashi's first guess was, "Kyuubi?" The triplets nodded and broke apart and Shakko turned with a regal air to Genko, who transformed into a three-tailed Naruto. They pretended to have a conversation, then Shakko pointed away up the hall and 'Naruto' ran off obediently before popping back into her usual form and hurrying to rejoin her companions. All three looked at Arashi expectantly.

Arashi still wished that he could speak Kitsune, but he was quite sure he had understood what they were trying to say. "Kyuubi found Naruto and told him to go somewhere?" They nodded excitedly and he asked, "Which direction?" They all pointed west, which was not particularly helpful, though that they at least _agreed_ on the direction was reassuring. "Did Kyuubi go with him?" They shook their heads. "I can't call her myself or the clerics might try something. Will you go fetch her for me?" They nodded once again and bounded back into the kitchen.

With that done, Arashi turned to the retrieval team. "You're welcome to leave if you'd like, but be prepared to return and depart."

* * *

He sat in the corner farthest from the door, trying to not think about the slime he had no choice but to rest on. It was dark and cold; there were no windows. It would probably have been a lot colder if not for Kyuubi's naturally-burning chakra, though he was only receiving that warmth after considerable complaints about the temperature.

_. . . This sucks **so** much balls._

_Is there anything that can be done?_

_Not with this fucking collar._ He slipped one finger under it--only just--but its unforgiving state did not allow it to bend out and give him any extra room. _Damn . . . Can barely fucking breathe with this piece of shit . . ._

Kyuubi paced, his lanky body moving cat-like in the back of Naruto's mind. _This is like what the Akatsuki did to your friend?_

_Sure does seem that way. Only when I die, there isn't going to be anyone standing by to bring me back once you're gone._ He paused. _Though I guess that **would** solve our current problem, wouldn't it? They take you, I die, and the pussy gets his body back. If he plays dead like any **smart** person would, they'll throw his body out and he'll be able to get home._

_Unlikely._

_Eh?_

_We are all three linked together. If the seal is broken to remove me from this body, it will also remove your other self because he was sealed in as well. If the seal is not dissolved exactly as it was applied to him, it will kill him. And without the seal to help control my chakra, my strength will vaporize this body that is so unfamiliar with and vulnerable to my power, which will make **your** death instantaneous._

He shifted, though more in exasperation than any kind of fear. There was also something sharp digging into the right half of his rump to precipitate the move. _. . . Nice that you told me before it happens, so I can . . . you know . . . die unsurprised._

_Be glad you're **going** to die,_ the fox snorted. _If they have a collar for you than they most certainly have a way to contain me. Being trapped inside you is hell enough, but at least there are moments where you can carry on a decent conversation. They're probably going to lock me in a chamber pot or something._

Naruto snorted and tried to avoid smiling.

_I'm glad you find the thought so entertaining._ Annoyed, Kyuubi reentered his cage and let the door fall closed behind him, knowing that Naruto would reopen it when he asked, or he could simply nudge it open himself. _This must be the absolute **worst**---_

Naruto was not listening. With the cage door closed, the collar had loosened. He waited for it to readjust, but it remained loose. He tried to remove it, but it caught on his head. _Not by much, though. What the hell . . .?_

Kyuubi pushed his cage door open and poked his head out. _What?_

Instantly, the collar constricted. Naruto sucked in a breath until he got used to it and took shallow inhalations again. _Just for a minute, the collar was almost loose enough to get out of._

_How?_

_What the hell makes you think **I** know?_

_Well what did you do?_

_Nothing! I was just **sitting** here! You went into your cage and the door shut and . . ._

He had trailed off, but he could tell by Kyuubi's interest that they were thinking the same thing. Slowly, the tenko back into his cage once more and let the door shut.

The collar widened and slipped to Naruto's shoulders.

_It worked,_ Naruto reported, trying to not get too excited. _You being in there makes it loosen._

_But why would it do that . . .? _Kyuubi mused.

There was a long silence.

_What?_ Kyuubi prompted impatiently, and Naruto was about to tell him to stop talking to himself--or at least do it quieter--when he said, _. . . Yes, you . . . you may just have something there._ Kyuubi turned to Naruto. _We've already established that the collar was created to home in on my chakra. The runt says the collar probably knows **only** my chakra, and since being in this cage restricts my chakra, the collar is losing track of it._

Naruto jumped at that, then mentally searched about in his head. When he found what he was looking for, he said, _Kyuubi, I'm going to lock you up._

_**What**?_

_I'm going to lock the seal down again._

_No._ Kyuubi strode toward the cage door angrily. _I refuse to be humiliated like that a second time._

Naruto held it shut. _**Listen**!_ _The purpose of Dad's seal was always to filter and direct the flow of your chakra so I could use it without killing myself or anyone else, right?_

_Yes._

_And remember how you had to stay in there until I figured out how to sift your chakra for my use myself?_

_Yes._

_Well if you're running loose, your chakra is constantly rolling off me, even if only a tiny bit. **But**, if you're in the cage, it's only coming through the seal **if** I call on it! Otherwise, it suppresses your chakra so completely that it's undetectable!_

_. . . Which would loosen the collar enough to escape from it._ Kyuubi sighed and stepped back. . . . _Very well._

_I promise I'll let you out once we're a safe distance away from this place._ Naruto gently reapplied the seal to the door and Kyuubi withdrew into the cage's darkened depths. He reached up to the collar and slid it easily over his head.

Freedom had never felt so wonderful.

The collar stayed on the floor where he placed it and made no move to come after him. He went to the cell door and managed to edge the sliding metal cover over the bars open with the tips of his fingers, then peeked out and listened. There was not a sound.

_The runt would like to remind you that you agreed to cooperate with them to save Nyoko._

Naruto grinned. _I know. However, they failed to stipulate **how long** I was to cooperate. I've been in this hole for over a week--I think--so I'd say I've spent more than enough time being obedient. If they wanted to do something with me, they should've gotten on with it._

He went back to the corner and grabbed the collar--they were not going to use it on him again--then moved to the wall. Concentrating on his own chakra, he used an Earth jutsu to sink into the floor and pass beneath the wall. He found himself still underground even after moving up to what he thought should have been the surface, so he hurried up again. As the earth began to move a bit easier around him, he slowed--he was in topsoil and close to open air--and finally stopped to let his ears tell him who or what was nearby.

Easing himself just far enough from the earth that he could breathe, he looked around and tried to gauge a direction. It was night, though, and he would have to look up at the stars. It was not a smart move out in the open, so he ducked back down into the soil and headed for the large meadow and a small line of trees to his left. Once among those trees, he climbed one and looked at the night sky.

_Hm . . . Home is . . . that way. No, no . . . **That** way. Yes._

He knew he could not _really_ go home--it was not safe for either him or his family and if the clerics had even _half_ a brain, it would be the first place they went--but he needed to talk to the other Kyuubi before he did anything else.

After a few hours of travel, he tried to smash the collar with a huge boulder, but it did not break no matter how he arranged it on the ground. Finally, for the sake of time, he gave up and left the collar trapped beneath the boulder. "Well, I suppose that takes care of that, for now. Either they'll have to come find this one or make another."

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

From what I understand, '_kon_' is the traditional Japanese term for the noise a fox makes. I've seen other words used, but not often.

---

Kitsune who bring honor to their families are rewarded with an extra tail (up to eight, for a total of nine). This is often accomplished by studying under teachers and gaining wisdom, or going on special quests. In the case of the triplets, their attempt--even though it failed--to protect Hotaru and the others was brave and self-sacrificing, so each gained a third tail.

---

For anyone who may be unfamiliar with the term, a 'chamber pot' is ye olde tyme's name for a toilet. It was literally a pot--sometimes a nice big vase or an old bucket, depending on how much money you had--and in the days and places of no electricity or plumbing, one would use the 'pot' in one's 'chamber' (bedroom) for standard restroom activities.

(See, these are the important pieces of information that I remember--as opposed to, for example, the birthdays of various close relatives.)

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Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	35. High Risk

**Author's Notes:** Chapter thirty-five! On the importance of friends in high places. Hooray for you all--it's a few hours _early_ rather than late! Thank you all for your good wishes--my grandfather got through the procedure fine, but it seems he won't be coming home until Sunday rather than today, so I'll still be watching over my grandmother directly for now. I kind-of sort-of am supposed to be in bed at this point, but it'll only take a minute to post this. Enjoy!

**About the past few rounds of Review Replies (or lack thereof):** Depending on how often you visit this site and how much contact you have with other site members, you may or may not be aware that there is/was some kind of issue with the site's messaging system. I'm currently writing this on Wednesday the twenty-fifth--because I probably won't have time later since I'll be busy as explained last chapter (I'm trying to get things done early so I can just run by the computer and post Saturday)--and at this moment I can't contact anyone through PMs (I can write them, but they apparently don't arrive at their intended destination) or e-mail (the mail page doesn't even come up). My previous efforts to contact the support staff have fallen dead for one reason or another. I _am_ replying to your reviews anyway, so either you will get them eventually or they will be lost forever somewhere. **laurelangel**, dear, breathe easy--I promise that you have not offended me in the slightest.

To **Kat**: It's okay, that's an average wait--I update Wednesdays and Saturdays. Maybe we should lobby the world to have an eight-day week (thus a three-day weekend _every_ weekend--hooray!) so they don't have to be so staggered? I like that idea. XD

To **Miako**: I actually do often end up going to Wikipedia for key terms, then I look those terms up elsewhere. The chamber pot is very old information--like back when I was in middle school (almost ten years ago)--so it might be particularly wonky. Was it rushed or just awkward? I do remember having to find a place to stop with Arashi so I could cover what Naruto was doing, so that's probably it--I'll have to try some clean-up next time, though I'm not quite sure how I can smooth it out. Ideas?

To **Wolfkun**: Unfortunately, Naruto's not half as creative as he's going to need to be. I know what you mean about the triplets--I never expected to like them as I much as I've ended up doing. I'd write it, but I wouldn't have a clue as to where to start, plus I have a few other bits I want to finish (I'm a terrible for never finishing things, so I don't want to start something else yet).

To **khinei**: The clerics are similar to the Akatsuki, but not the same. The biggest difference is that the clerics are only after Kyuubi, not any of the other bijuu. Why isn't clear yet. Does Naruto want to go back? I doubt it.

To **notepad01**: I don't understand what you mean about the 'random jumping'; except for instances with dialogue, I've been careful to introduce things as clearly as I possibly can. Answers are a while in coming because they aren't all resolved in _Door Number Two_--that would be too much. As for small words to convey simple ideas, I'm afraid I can't _use_ any smaller words than what I have. Aside from medical terminology, most of what you read here is my everyday vocabulary and like just about everyone else, I write how I speak and vice versa. You'll have to blame my parents for that if it's a problem--I don't think I can fix it.

To **catc10**: That's a very . . . interesting expression. XD

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 3,155

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 4/28/07

**Disclaimer:** No.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Five - High Risk

* * *

Kyuubi-vixen had not had much to tell him. His family was worried and the Fourth was trying desperately to come up with a plan to rescue him. The clerics had not been seen or heard from since taking him captive, so he was indeed their target. Rain Country, oddly, had become very anxious upon hearing about his capture.

"Okay, just . . . Next time you see Dad, just tell him I'm okay. I got away fine and I'm in plenty good health to take care of myself. And . . . And tell him I love him and Mom and Nyoko and the twins. In case anything happens. But don't tell him _that_ or he'll panic."

He was soon on his way to Hidden Sand. He needed supplies--all of his equipment had been taken from him--and he figured the only way he would be able to _acquire_ what he had to have without money would be gotten easiest by asking for a favor from a friend. He did not want to take advantage of friendship like that, but he had little choice. It was either Hidden Sand, where he had the best chance of getting what he needed away from home, or Hidden Leaf, where the clerics would go the instant they discovered his escape. Since he had no guarantee that they had not found his cell empty by then, Hidden Sand was really the only way. However, he had been in Wind Country for a few days by that point. _So I should be close . . ._

"_Yipe_!" he squeaked suddenly, and slid to a stop. _Shit! I forgot how good they were with that whole we-can-blend-in-with-sand-grains thing . . ._

Two Sand-nin loomed over him, having appeared seemingly from nowhere. "This is the boundary of Village Hidden in Sand. You may go no further without authorization."

_Damn. I don't have a note or anything._ "My name is Naruto Uzumaki and I came here to see a friend. Gaara."

"Uzumaki?" the one on the left mused thoughtfully.

The one on the right grabbed him by the throat. "That's _Lord_ Gaara to you, worm!"

Naruto frowned at the treatment and pried the man's fingers away. "Gaara and I are friends and on an equal social standing. Only in a formal situation would he let me call him 'Lord'." _And I'd probably never be able to remember to refer to him as a lord anyway, so that's a very good arrangement._

"Equal social standing?! _You_?! How dare you disrespect the Kazekage's blood!"

The one on the left suddenly grabbed his teammate's wrist. "No, you idiot! Are you blind or just stupid?! This is the son of the Hokage!"

The one on the right did not look convinced. "Well what the hell's he doing all the way out here? And _by himself_, no less?!"

They started to argue, but Naruto cleared his throat. "Hey, guys, you can squabble about the details later. Just take me to see Gaara or bring him here. It's a little urgent."

They mumbled to each other--not that it mattered; Naruto still heard every word--then the one on the right vanished in a tight swirl of sand. The one on the left said, "Your arrival is being announced to the Kazekage and his son."

He inclined his head. "Thank you."

Roughly an hour later, long after he had sat down to give his legs a little rest, the Sand-nin returned with yet another pair of Sand-nin who were on either side of the younger son of the Fourth Kazekage.

"Naruto! Is everything all right?"

Naruto stood and dusted his pants off. "Yeah, I'm okay. How're you?"

"_Naruto_!"

"What?"

"I can _tell_ something is wrong! You're all alone--without even _one_ bodyguard--and you look like you haven't slept for days!"

Naruto looked away and muttered, "More like a week, actually . . ."

"_What_?!"

He sighed and put his hands on the other boy's shoulders to be sure he had the redhead's attention. _Have to get this done in case they head in this direction for some reason._ "Listen, Gaara . . . what do you know about the clerics?"

"Clerics?" Gaara tilted his head. "Clerics . . ." He frowned. "I think my father has made mention of them, but only very briefly. I know nothing of them, personally."

"It's probably better that way. Gaara, I wish I didn't have to, but I have a big, _huge_ favor to ask of you."

"Yes?"

"I've been stripped of all my equipment and I need replacements _right now_, but I have no way to pay for them."

Mint-green eyes blinked. ". . . Is that it?"

"Please don't insult my morals."

"No! I mean . . . It's not that big a deal, I'm sure. If you explain everything to Father I'm certain he'll supply you free of charge."

It sounded too good to be true, but Naruto went along anyway, letting Gaara lead him to Hidden Sand and secure an audience with the Kazekage immediately. Naruto explained what he was involved in as vaguely as he possibly could, but with enough detail to satisfy the Kazekage's requirements. It was a delicate balance, but he thought he had managed well.

"I understand your situation," the Kazekage said, but Naruto could tell by the man's flat tone that there was no sympathy. "However, I cannot furnish you with weapons if you will not be able to pay for them."

"But Father . . .!" Gaara protested.

Naruto touched his friend's arm. "Gaara, stop. I expected no less." Gaara turned an unusual--actually rather _alien_, in Naruto's opinion--look of helplessness toward him. "No, don't say anything yet. Let me." The blond turned back to the Kazekage. "Kazekage-sama, please. I cannot pay for the equipment right now, but I would be more than happy to write my father a letter instructing him to reimburse you and place the debt between myself and him instead."

The Kazekage was silent for a time. ". . . Very well. Gaara will show you to a guest room and you will compose a letter to the Hokage immediately. One of my messengers will deliver it and if the messenger returns with a positive response, I will provide you with whatever you may need as well as an unrelated third party to tally the costs."

Naruto bowed over his knees until his forehead touched the floor. He was not used to that kind of behavior--before he had simply refused to be so subservient and then it was simply barely even expected of him as the Hokage's son--but he needed to stay in the Kazekage's good graces at least for a while. _Hell, I'm a good actor--I can pretend I know how to do this with class._ "I am forever grateful for your generosity, Kazekage-sama, but for the safety of you and your family I must refuse your offer of shelter."

"And where do you plan to reside, then, if you have no money?"

Naruto chuckled nervously at that and scratched his head. "I'm afraid I don't know yet. But I will stay close from sunrise to sunset in case you have need of me."

". . . As you wish. You are dismissed. Gaara, provide him with the material he needs to contact the Hokage."

Gaara bowed quickly. "Yes, Father."

In the redhead's room, Naruto swiftly scribbled a letter to his father and Gaara sent it off with a messenger.

"It'll be six days at _least_ before he gets back here," Naruto said, more to himself than Gaara. "I'm going to leave."

"Is it all right if I come along?"

Naruto turned to his friend, incredulous. _Was my hint that the clerics are extremely dangerous not meaningful enough for him or something?_ "Only if you swear you'll do _exactly_ as I say if we run into the clerics."

"All right, but only if you let me buy you something to eat."

Naruto opened his mouth to say no, but his stomach growled angrily at him. _Is it really so hard to accept an offer of free food_? " . . . Ramen?"

"Anything."

He grinned. _Food is the cure-all!_ "Then let's go!"

* * *

By her expression, he could tell she was reciting something she had been told.

"He says he's fine and in good shape to take care of himself. I can verify this. He was a bit hungry and tired, but he was moving well and was not injured." She paused, tails tapping lightly, then added rather thoughtfully, "He also passes along his love."

Arashi sighed heavily at that, both relieved and pained. Every day, his heart reminded him viciously that in the combined sixteen years of their lives, he had never _ever_ been separated from either of his children for so long. He lifted his brush and made a small black slash on a piece of plain white paper that held many other slashes already. _It's masochistic, but I can't help it._ "Four and a half weeks . . . Over a month . . ."

What scared him most was that while there were points where he could not get Naruto's face out of his mind for any length of time, there were still other points--growing more and more common, to his alarm--where he could not call up his son's face. It was as though his soul was trying to prepare him for a long absence of Naruto's presence, either temporarily or permanently. _I miss him . . . I want to hold him again . . . Damn it, why is this happening?_

A rapid knocking at the office door broke him out of his trance and he looked at Kyuubi, who was simply sitting where she had been, watching him. "Sorry," he murmured.

"I'm afraid I know nothing more," she said with an acknowledging nod. "All I told him was to stay away from here and leave Fire Country altogether if he could manage it."

". . . All right," he replied. "Thank you." She took the form of a raven and flew out the window. "Yes?" he called, raising his voice to be heard by whomever was beyond the door.

"A messenger from Hidden Sand, Hokage-sama!"

He groaned softly. He was hardly interested in maintaining relations with the other Kage at that point. _If they all fell off the face of the earth tomorrow morning, I wouldn't grieve more than propriety required._ "That's fine."

The door opened and the Sand-nin entered, escorted by two Leaf-nin. Arashi looked at the man tiredly. "You have a communiqué from Kazekage-sama?"

"No, Hokage-sama. I was told it's from your son."

Arashi lunged to his feet, but the messenger was already holding the letter out to him. He snatched it away before one of the Leaf-nin could check it for poison or explosive tags--not the brightest thing he had ever done, but he was desperate--and ripped it open. His son's half-neat calligraphy met his eyes and he sank slowly into his chair as he read the letter's contents. Despite what was being asked, he felt only relief at what he was reading. Naruto's words, while seeming grim, still held a determination and bounciness that could only be taken away by severe discouragement and exhaustion.

_He really **is** holding up well._

He penned a hasty response to the Kazekage, read over what he had written to be sure it was at least moderately legible--the quicker he wrote, the less decipherable his writing became--made an addition, and sealed it for its trip to Hidden Sand. The messenger and his escorts exited and Arashi sat back in his chair, hugging the letter to his chest.

He knew it was the closest he was going to get to his son for a long time.

* * *

Naruto stared at the six small pouches blankly. "Um . . ."

"The Hokage asked for you to be given some extra money alongside your weapons, for any other expenses you may incur during your travels."

"Oh. Thank you." He scooped the pouches into his lap so the tray they rested on could be removed.

"Your weapons will be ready in two days."

"Many thanks, Kazekage-sama."

The two days passed by rather quickly, which Naruto supposed was what happened when one spent so much time with a person who wanted to show one _everything_ in a village. They had a single run-in with clerics the instant Naruto tried to let Kyuubi out of his cage, which no doubt meant the clerics could find Naruto by tracking the fox's chakra. After escaping them, following a panicked dash for freedom, the tenko agreed grudgingly to remain sealed until the situation called for his presence. It put a damper on Naruto as well, but he was confident that he could work around it.

"Naruto!"

He turned. Gaara was still hanging from the arms of his bodyguard, who had grabbed his charge at Naruto's command to leave. He waved reassuringly, aware the guard would be reluctant to let the redhead go. "Gaara!"

"There you are!" Gaara wriggled away from his guardian as Naruto approached carefully. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. They don't want to hurt me." _Yet._ "Listen, now that they've found me, you're going to have to keep your distance."

"What?!"

"_Listen_! Now that they've found me, they'll keep trying to get me. They need me in good condition, I think, so they won't hurt me. I don't think they'd hurt you as long as you stayed out of the way, but I don't want to take that risk. My little sister got kidnapped because they were going to exchange her for me and I'm _not_ going to let that happen with you. So I don't want you to come looking for me anymore."

"But . . .!"

"Gaara, please? Forget all the political repercussions between Wind and Fire if anything happened to you; this is your friend asking--_begging_--you to not get involved. I don't want you to get hurt. Besides, if you want to help me, you can do it by staying here. If I need back-up or a set of eyes, I want to be able to call on you, okay?"

Gaara gave him a sharp sideways look that reminded Naruto strongly of the Gaara he originally knew. The redhead seemed as though he was going to disagree until they were shouting at one another, but eventually said, "Okay."

The rest of the time, Naruto spent the considerable allowance gifted to him only on food--it had to last, after all--until he realized he needed to keep away from the clerics and it would be difficult to do so the way he was. _I'm not exactly the invisible type, even if I can keep my mouth shut and change my clothes._ He decided he needed some help, so he reluctantly sought out his 'contact'.

"Hey, Gaara, do you know where I can find a few things . . .?"

"Like what?"

After listing several items, he was pointed to all the appropriate shops and then, upon concluding that he needed to shower before he could make any of the necessary changes, unwillingly allowed Gaara to drag him back to the Kazekage's house to use the redhead's private bath.

Gaara turned to him once he finished and jumped. "Holy---!" He clapped his hands over his mouth. "I hope you were going for 'not myself', because you're not."

Naruto grinned. "That's perfect, actually. It's exactly what I wanted to hear. You have a mirror around here?"

The Kazekage's surprise at the blond's new look was in his silence. ". . . Fascinating. Your new weapons lie before you. Please examine them to be sure they are to your satisfaction and then sign for them."

Naruto did so and bowed. "My deepest appreciation for your patience and kindness in this troubling matter, Kazekage-sama. Unless you wish to request something of me, I will set out from Hidden Sand immediately."

He was waved off. "Be on your way."

As protocol dictated, Naruto was escorted to the edge of Hidden Sand's territory and left to fare on his own the rest of the way out of the desert country. He moved swiftly, feeling much more secure at being armed, and soon reached Fire Country. He trekked near the border for over a week, edgy about being so close to Grass Country but betting on the clerics spreading most of their attention toward the inner villages in the surrounding countries, and finally came to the destination he had chosen to lie low in.

". . . Kinda sucks that it's not named after me anyway," he mused as he crossed the tall bridge, dodging carts full of merchandise and pedestrians running back and forth with fish they had caught by sitting on the bridge all day. He then shuddered. "But why did they have to name it after _that_ jerk-off? Maybe he isn't so bad in _this_ world, but _still_ . . . Just _ick_."

Two things he liked seeing were the fully-stocked shelves in the shops and the happy villagers.

He jumped when he saw his first Wave-nin; he had forgotten about them entirely in the whole mess his life had become. Out of curiosity, he listened around to see what kind of news he could pick up. Wave-nin operated under a council instead of a Kage, since they did not have the numbers to warrant one. Trade was doing wonderfully thanks to Gatou, as he was the one helping to fund the Wave-nin by having a small force of them protect the ships in the sea around the Land of Waves from pirates and the merchants coming across the bridge from thieves.

It seemed that word of his disappearance had reached that far as well and was apparently relatively old news considering how casually it was mentioned in conversation. He cringed upon hearing how distraught his family--_Hell, the whole of Hidden Leaf, the way it sounds._--was about his absence. He wanted to go home, or even just write, but he could not. He had to remain an anonymous presence for as long as possible. _I hate this. Naruto Uzumaki does **not**_ _hide from his enemies. Until **now**, anyway. Bleh . . ._

He ended up taking up residence in the forest a short distance away from the village, where he could run in for food when he needed. He made himself ramen just about every night--along with some half-cooked meat and steamed vegetables at Kyuubi's insistence--but it fell far from what he was used to having at Ichiraku's. That went on for a few less-than-blissful weeks before he received an unwelcome wake-up.

Kyuubi's alarm was startling. _They have a name._

The significance was totally lost on Naruto. _A . . . name?_

_A name,_ Kyuubi confirmed gravely. _The name of a kitsune._ He paused, then reported with grim fury, _A strong one. And it's heading toward your village._

_

* * *

_

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

Apparently, those Sand-nin don't get out much if they can't recognize Naruto. Also, I used 'Lord' instead of '-sama' because emphasizing it that way seemed less awkward and less like it was mocking Gaara.

---

I don't know about anybody else, but my handwriting tends to get a little _better_ the faster I write. Then again, I'm kind of weird, so it's probably just me.

---

For clarity's sake, Kyuubi is _not_ upset that the kitsune is heading for Konoha (aside from, perhaps, not having a chance to lay siege to it from his location). It has to do with the kitsune's name, the importance of which will be covered in the next chapter.

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	36. Pressure

**Author's Notes:** Chapter thirty-six! Oh. Em. Gee. (That's 'OMG' for the lazies like me.) There are no _words_ to describe my embarrassment or convey my apologies for this totally, inexcusably long absence. I am so upset primarily because you people were so damn _sweet_, asking me if I was okay and stuff and then telling me to take my time when I assured you I was alive. I didn't get _one_ person telling me to "update or else!" (Not that I'm complaining, but I thought there'd be at least _one_.) Do you have any idea how _GUILTY_ that made me feel?

And there it is--I can be guilted into updates. Make sure you write that down, just in case.

**In my shame, I have only apologies and sad, unworthy gifts to offer.** See the "Answers To Questions" section for more details on that and why I was gone so long. And hey, guys? Can somebody tell me when I hit two thousand reviews? 'Cause I don't think I remember. My mind is such a sieve--it had to have happened long before my absence, but I don't _remember_! Well . . . I guess it doesn't matter when it was. (Incredibly belated!) Thanks for two thousand reviews (and over three hundred thousand hits), everyone! Group hug!

By the way, a lot of you didn't get review replies from me this time around. Aside from those who had questions or involved comments, I didn't respond to reviews. I apologize, but I figured everyone would much rather see a chapter than a review reply. Below are a few anonymous reviews I felt needed to be answered, but otherwise, feel free to skip to the meat!

**jwg676**: Thank you! My ideas don't come from one place--sometimes from my head, sometimes from something I'm doing, sometimes as a spin-off of another piece of fiction (_DNT_ itself was such a thing)_--_and that is very inconvenient at times. Still, I appreciate my imagination! More is here!

**Kat**: I most certainly do take notice. If I have the balls to demand more reviews, then I should be courteous enough to respond to them as well. :) Naruto-chan-chan the super uke . . . I _like_ that. Very . . . imaginative. XD

**Haji**: I'm glad you like (if you're going to lose sleep over an author's work, Foxie-sama is definitely one of the ones I'd choose)! You know, you're the first person to mention the technology and that's a very interesting observation. The plastic medicine cup could go either way, because I've only ever seen glass cups, in hindsight (though I have seen a dead ringer for a plastic water bottle). The heat lamps are the same--if you consider the first movie to be canon even in the slightest, that had lots of stage/set lighting and I don't think heat lamps would be too far from that (though it could be argued that the apparently primitive electrical grids might not support that kind of drain and so they had never really caught on). As you said, with no definite line drawn, it could go either way. I didn't mean for the other foxes--particularly the triplets--to end up in here, I swear! They just . . . _invited_ themselves, like my cat does.

In regards to the "Answers To Questions" section, you're right. This is an older piece of mine and I also have the tendency to ramble, so I skimped on some things (to my detriment and your displeasure) out of eagerness to get to more important things and concern that I would embellish too much. Ideally, that will have stopped in future works (and will be cleaned up if/when I rewrite _DNT_), but if you read any of those and see it there as well, I would much appreciate you pointing out where. For information like the kitsune lore (for example), however, I generally consider that non-negotiable; the culture of the characters in this particular work means that all of the main characters and more than seventy percent of the supporting characters are educated (or superstitious) enough to know what I explain in the "Answers To Questions" (such as the definition of 'myobu' and 'tenko'). Trying to squeeze it into the storyline, if it isn't of vital importance, would be awkward and time-consuming, divert the story even more from the plot, and make it more like a dictionary or encyclopedia entry than a work of fiction (which I have already been accused of doing previously). I will definitely keep your words in mind, because you do have a point (for example, my first endnote in chapter twenty-eight could have been slipped into the chapter itself), but this is my reasoning in other instances.

**Atrix**: Once again, this is something I have failed to adequately cover--thank you for bringing it up. Parallel!Naruto's chakra reserve is _extremely_ low--he was never really interested in his training, as noted by the Fourth. Presumably, canon!Naruto's training would help that, but it couldn't cure it; I can't imagine that full recovery would take less than a year to happen--exercising atrophied chakra paths would be just like any other rehab, I think, and it would also have to be done in slow stages. As for jutsu like a kage bunshin, canon!Naruto would have to be very careful. I don't think _one_ shadow clone would be difficult, but multiple ones would be impossible because those would require Kyuubi's chakra. Kyuubi has stated at least three times (once clearly, twice more subtly) that use of his chakra will cause a great deal of harm to parallel!Naruto's body, which is not geared--in any manner--to handle it. On top of that, the clerics are hunting canon!Naruto by seeking out Kyuubi's chakra, which means that a single flare of it could bring them down on his head. Canon!Naruto will be using jutsu soon (it could be assumed, also, that he used jutsu while fighting the clerics in chapter thirty-three, since no one was around to see him use anything of a level that a twelve-year-old boy wasn't supposed to).

The proclamations to be Hokage are easier to explain. Firstly, canon!Naruto is seventeen while parallel!Naruto is twelve. I am taking an incredible leap and expecting that by that age, canon!Naruto has learned something of common ninja sense, so he would be hesitant to say such a thing before he found out if his parallel self would have said it. In chapter twenty-two, with the explanation of parallel!Naruto's behavior, canon!Naruto would assume that his parallel self was _not_ interested in becoming Hokage and would thus choose not to say it in the future. As for the supporting characters such as Kiba and Neji, they were omitted at the time because I was uncomfortable with my knowledge of their personalities. I will be including them in the 'deleted scenes', to be posted after _DNT_, but they will unfortunately not make it into _DNT_ itself for the time being--the current timeline would require a lot of sidetracking if I tried to include them now (which sucks, because I _really_ wanted to include Lee, but he didn't work out).

**I have a Fullmental headache**: This fic does not need more killing--_you_ need more killing. As I've said over a dozen times, this fic is _**not**_ about fighting. Go. Somewhere. Else. For it.

**nottery**: The shinobi leader in Wind Country is definitely the Kazekage ('kaze' is 'wind').

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 2,944

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 7/21/07

**Disclaimer:** No.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Six - Pressure

* * *

"A name?"

Kyuubi nodded. "We do not give out our real names because that gives whoever speaks it power over us. It's easier and safer to provide a false name appropriate to the situation we are involved in or something unique about ourselves. For example, you always referred to me as Nine-Tails when we first met, so I adopted 'Kyuubi' when you asked for a name."

He nodded in return. "So if I knew your real name, I could tell you to . . ."

Before he could think of anything, she said firmly, "If you knew my real name, you could tell me to do anything that your little blond head came up with and I would have to comply with it if I did not want to be banished from here or if I wanted to protect something of mine that you had threatened harm to."

"So this is a serious issue."

"Most definitely."

". . . What are your options?"

"My options are 'do' or 'don't'. If you wish my assistance, I will provide it. It doesn't matter either way to me."

"Don't kitsune prefer to avoid fights?"

"That's between individual kitsune. This myobu has been rendered insane by those who speak her name. The only way to avoid fighting her later is to fight her now."

He sat back in his chair. "Then I'll call on your strength."

"What do you plan to do?"

"I don't know . . . Seal her, maybe."

Kyuubi frowned. "Arashi . . ."

"When will she get here?" was the dismissive question.

The vixen sighed. "Days. Perhaps a week. Myobu are powerful--they'll have to fight her themselves so they can be sure they'll have control over her no matter how angry she gets."

"Please report anything you hear."

She inclined her head slightly, took the form of a mosquito, and buzzed out the window. Arashi let out a long breath, got to his feet slowly, arranged the papers on his desk for the next day, and headed home.

As he stepped in the door, the first thing he noticed was the lack of . . . anything, really. He could not hear the girls cleaning and singing, nor could he hear or smell Aya's cooking. Both were things he came home to every evening. His body responded instantly to the tension in the air, but he did not let himself get carried away by it. The tension was different; expectant, but not afraid. Carefully, he made his way down the hall toward the kitchen, peeking into each room along the way. He stopped at the lounge, where Aya and the girls and even the ANBU sentries were gathered around one of the couches, murmuring quietly.

The ANBU took note of his entrance immediately and saluted, which made the women all turn to him. The girls then parted silently, allowing him to see what had caused them to abandon their duties. On the couch sat a dirty civilian boy--his plain clothes gave him away--with straight, limp hair that was virtually white, which hung in front of his bowed head. Whatever was wrong, it seemed to be a grave matter.

"What's going on?" he demanded, wrestling down his irritation. _Haven't I gotten enough bad news for one day?_

At his voice, the boy's head jerked up toward him and the most beautiful blue eyes he had ever seen met his. He was already making the connection as the boy's mouth formed one word over and over.

". . . Dad . . ."

Then the boy was on his feet and running across the room toward him. Arashi's knees buckled and threw him to the floor, where he held his arms open to let the boy dive into them. The boy's face nuzzled against his chest as he curled around the smaller form. ". . . You're home," he choked out, overwhelmed by exultant, exhausted relief. His son cuddled closer and he tightened his grip fiercely as he pressed a flurry of kisses to the small head to give voice to prior frustrations and fears. "You're home . . ."

The front door opened and closed--the hall brought familiar but indecipherable voices to those gathered in the lounge--then was followed after a long moment by a confused, "Aya? Is everything all right?"

"Everything's fine now, dearie," Aya responded.

"Fine _now_?" came the confused echo. Bare feet padded demurely into the room and came to a sudden stop. "Arashi," Hotaru prompted, "what is this?"

He turned to look at her over his shoulder and his firstborn's head lifted as well.

She gasped, fighting down a scream. "My baby . . . My baby!" She sank to the floor and edged her arms around the boy so Arashi would not have to let him go.

Pinned between his parents, his head tucked beneath his father's chin, Naruto had never felt so safe or so loved.

"Oh, Naruto," Hotaru sighed, "where have you _been_?!"

"Hiding," he answered quietly, not wanting to say where in case he had to go back.

"Hiding wh---Good gods, haven't you been eating?! You're skinny as a rail!"

"I ran out of money," he said softly. "Between maintaining my disguise and eating, it only lasted a few weeks. I would've taken on jobs, but I didn't want to be seen."

"You needn't worry about that, child," Aya assured him with a warm cluck. "You just give the word and I'll cook you whatever you'd like."

Naruto smiled weakly. The first time he could have whatever he wanted and he chose: "I really don't care as long as I don't have to cook it."

Without thinking, Arashi rattled off a list of foods that would help his son recover in the swiftest amount of time. Aya swept purposefully from the large room, her assistants on her heels. Everyone else dispersed slowly.

"I'm tired," Naruto announced with a yawn.

"Go to sleep. We'll take care of you," Arashi promised, kissing his forehead soothingly.

So Naruto closed his eyes and drifted off completely, secure and reassured. He did not know how long he slept, but when he was awakened he felt groggy. It could not have been more than two hours. "Buh . . .?"

"Eat," he was instructed, and he realized that he had already been placed in his seat at the dining table.

Supper passed without the expected questions, which Naruto was immensely grateful for. Usual meal chatter went on as he remembered, but he barely heard any of it because he was too busy keeping a distinctly cheerful and delighted Nyoko from wriggling out of his lap to pay attention. He was allowed to eat dessert until he got sick from it before being sent in the general direction of bed. He figured he would have to read for a few hours--the sugar from the desserts had him completely wired--but that he was home was all that mattered. As he moved toward his room, he overheard his parents talking and paused to observe before leaving the room.

"Do I have that expectant glow pregnant women are supposed to have?"

Naruto watched his father smile gently at his mother and hug her warmly. He _thought_ the Fourth was going to come up with a sensitive answer, but instead gawked in disbelief when the other blond said brightly, "Well, you have a shape like a light bulb. Does that count?"

His mother punched his father angrily in the gut--Naruto could not see it, but the way the Fourth's body had jumped said all--and decided that his father deserved it, silently discounting the knowledge that if that very question had been asked of _him_, then he undoubtedly would have said the same thing.

_It's a gift, to be capable of being that insensitive at a moment's notice._

Even so, Hotaru looked relieved that he had said it, as though something had changed for the better at that moment and everything was going to be all right.

* * *

Arashi yawned and rubbed his eyes for the sixth time in fifteen minutes. He had already lost a lot of sleep worrying over Naruto, but his son had returned and instead of half-sleeping the whole night as he had been before, he had spent a mere half-hour at a time deeply asleep before jolting awake and feeling that he had to go check on Naruto to be sure it was not a dream and that he really was still there and safe.

With a soft sigh, he looked at the floor to his left. Naruto lay curled on the big pillow from the closet, tucked beneath Arashi's overcoat. The smaller blond had, upon being awakened for breakfast, washed his hair clean of the dye and gel he had disguised himself with and changed his clothes. Aside from his exhaustion and thinned face, he looked as though he had not taken a step away from Konoha's walls. Smiling warmly, Arashi reached down and ran his fingers through the spiky blond locks that were so like his own, then yawned again.

". . . I can't work like this." He glanced at the nearest clock. "Lunch time. And I've done seven things since I got here at eight-thirty. Urgh. I give up." He slid out of the chair and onto the pillow next to Naruto, who murmured and shifted in his sleep to give Arashi more room. Soon both blonds were out, Arashi's hands wrapped firmly around the one of Naruto's that was poking out from under the overcoat.

They napped in peace for over two and a half hours before the door burst open and a very alarmed chuunin called, "Hokage-sama!" Then, seeing the empty chair, he hesitated in confusion at the unusual situation. ". . . Hokage-sama?"

"Just a minute," Arashi responded, and urged a violently startled Naruto back to sleep. He then climbed up into his chair once again. "Yes?"

". . . Are you . . . all right, Hokage-sama?"

"I'm fine. I was just resting. Now what is it?"

The chuunin gathered himself once more and saluted as he said urgently, "Hokage-sama, there's been a murder in the village!"

Arashi twitched and mentally let out a stream of invectives that, had they been said aloud, would have made Hotaru apoplectic. "_What_?"

"The Council has said they will investigate since you're busy with something of greater importance, but they may have need of a few of our elite."

_Greater importance? Oh yeah . . . That myobu. I almost forgot about that, with Naruto's return. Damn. I'm going to have to do some training to make sure I can perform that sealing quickly and correctly._ "That's fine. Please tell the Council that I wish to be informed of what they find. This might have to do with the clerics."

"Hokage-sama!" The chuunin left the office, pulling the door shut behind himself.

"Murder," Arashi muttered, shuffling through his papers. "That's exactly what I need to be dealing with now." He looked longingly at Naruto, who had yet to spread across the space that Arashi's absence had left, and considered writing the day off as a loss and continuing his so rudely interrupted sleep. Laziness finally caught him--_Do I really want __**double**__ the work tomorrow when I've already fallen so far behind during his absence?_--and he set to work diligently, stopping at every minute sigh to check on his son.

Just in case.

Naruto, for his part, did not even remember waking at the chuunin's abrupt entrance. His time in the mangroves of Wave had reminded him coldly of the majority of the nights of his life, where he had existed strictly on the minimal requirement of sleep to protect himself from those who wished harm on him. It was terrible to have to live that way in his own village, but it had not been long before he had gotten used to it. Where he had ended up, for all the sleep he got and was otherwise allowed to have without fear of inside aggression, his previous habits were still alive. He had _reacted_ to the chuunin's presence, but not _registered_ it.

". . . Naruto . . . wake up, sweetheart."

Nor had he really ever gotten used to being called 'sweetheart'.

"Naruto, honey . . ."

He inhaled sharply to wake himself and blinked sleepily. "Mm . . . Mom . . .?"

Hotaru looked at him in concern. "Your father's right--you're definitely catching up on your sleep . . . Didn't you rest at _all_ while you were gone?"

"'S hard t' sleep when 's not safe," he slurred.

She stroked his hair back. "Well, I guess it's a good sign if you're sleeping so well here, then. Unfortunately, something else that's very important to your recovery is eating, and supper is ready. So _up_."

He groaned and flipped onto his side, yanking the folded bedcovers--_I'm in bed?_--over himself to hide from his mother and the overhead light. From almost the instant he was hidden in the darkness, he drifted into a semi-conscious state.

"Naruto, I'm serious."

Naturally, he did not respond.

"_Naruto_." There was a sigh and then the weight next to him on the bed shifted and when his mother next spoke, it was with a raised voice. "_Arash_---Oh. Arashi, make him get up so he can eat something."

The weight on the bed left, only to be replaced by a greater weight. The covers were very gently folded down once more and he was picked up and rolled onto his back. His half-open eyes focused fuzzily on the face before him, but no farther. His face was touched and examined, but he did not so much as flinch.

"See?" Hotaru asked. "He needs to eat, but he won't get up."

"Hotaru," was the quiet response, "he's not even awake anymore."

"What?"

"He's already gone back to sleep. Or mostly so."

"But he needs to _eat_."

"There's no point in making him get up--he won't be hungry. That's how exhaustion is. We can't _make_ him eat just because it'll help him. If his body wants to sleep, bothering his mind about eating won't do any good."

There was a long silence.

"Arashi, this isn't working."

"I know." He suddenly sounded so tired . . .

"Leaving him by himself just isn't cutting it."

"I know."

"How much longer do you think he can keep doing this? It's _killing_ him."

"I _know_, Hotaru. I _know_. Any ideas you have would be helpful."

"Well first of all, being a ninja---"

"Being a shinobi has nothing to do with it," Arashi snapped, irritated. "The clerics don't want him because he's a Leaf-nin or even because he's my son! They want him because he has some kind of connection to kitsune that even _we_, somehow, aren't privy to. Why else would they call him Tenko-sama and _not_ want Kyuubi specifically? They're looking for something much, much bigger than one nine-tails, Hotaru. Kyuubi's told me that the clerics already have a myobu. They learned her name and they're using it against her. They'll probably send her here, for him, and we . . ."

". . . Arashi?"

"He knew."

"What?"

"He knew," Arashi repeated, sounding a little excited. "He knew about the myobu. He knew about it and came back the same day that Kyuubi told me."

"Kyuubi could have met with him or sent the triplets . . ."

"The triplets always help watch Nyoko and Kyuubi hadn't seen Naruto since he escaped from the clerics. If any of them had spoken to him, keeping it from me would have no point. He knew--found out himself--and came back."

"He said he ran out of money," Hotaru reminded him.

"But that wasn't enough to send him back. If he ran out of money, he would have snuck back or sent a letter to ask for more right away. Instead, he virtually starved himself for weeks. That's not efficient, certainly not with the clerics hovering about, but that wouldn't matter if he was sure he wouldn't be found. He starved that whole time and has yet to ask for any money or any other kind of supplies; he didn't come back for them at all. And he didn't come back to see us, either. Sure, he missed us while he was gone, but it's not like he hasn't been separated from us under other scary circumstances."

"Arashi, I think you're fishing here . . ."

"I know it sounds that way, but I'm seeing it from a first-person viewpoint, Hotaru. I may sound as though I'm completely out of my mind, but I'm thinking very clearly. If it _is_ nothing more than a coincidence, it's the biggest coincidence I've ever come across. He never came home after escaping the clerics because he knew they would be looking for him and that here would be the first place they would look. It wouldn't make sense to go to all the trouble he did--travelling to Suna, sending a note back to ask for more money, dying and gelling his hair and changing his clothes--_just_ to come back so soon after leaving and jeopardize his hiding spot. He had every intention of going wherever he ended up and _staying_ there until something gave in regards to his status in both this village and among the clerics.

". . . He knew about the myobu and that it has to do with the clerics, but he came back anyway, for whatever the reason." Arashi's voice hardened and sharpened. "They need him a lot more than they're letting on, Hotaru, but I won't let them have him."

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

Kitsune rarely give out their true names because knowing the name of a kitsune gives you power over it. Not necessarily complete obedience, but since knowing a kitsune's name allows you to banish that kitsune, it's in the fox's best interest to do whatever you want. As a result of this, kitsune generally give a name appropriate to the situation they're in at the moment or as a joke, as Kyuubi-vixen explained.

---

I know I've already said it in chapter ten, but I won't make you go looking for it. A 'myobu' is a nine-tailed Celestial kitsune. They are like tenko, except that myobu are strictly servants of Inari, which means they're generally kind and helpful kitsune. So all myobu are tenko, but not all tenko are myobu.

---

Kitsune try to avoid fighting one another, and they definitely don't attempt to kill one another without _very_ good reason. So Kyuubi-vixen agreeing to fight is a big deal.

---

Yes, there was actually a man in real life who made that connection between his wife and a light bulb. No, I don't know what he was (not) thinking.

---

It's _weird_ when you can hear and feel everything going on around you but can't move or open your eyes. I've only ever had it happen once that I can remember, and it was freaky.

---------------------------------------------------------

To explain my hideous disappearance: All the month of May, I had to take my grandmother to dialysis three times a week, like I said a chapter or two ago. That wore me out way more than I expected and I didn't feel like posting during that time. As soon as--and I mean the _minute_--I was let go from the dialysis thing, I caught the flu my mother had brought home. I was only dead in bed a day or two, but I felt like toilet sludge (isn't that a nice image?) for the next two weeks. Obviously, no posting there, either. Then, my mother had to finish her online class--which she was behind on--so I did not have dibs on the computer _ever_ for that week (we only have one comp on the 'Net and Daddy pays the DSL bills, so if he says no, that means no). I tried cleaning things up to post the last week of June, but my older sister was coming down from NYC for a visit and to see the _Transformers_ movie (the romance sucked, as it always does in action movies, but if you want to see giant robots kick each other's asses, _see this movie_--even my mom liked it), and I got excited about that. After my sister left, I got sick _again_ (not my mother's fault this time; I somehow managed to do this to myself), but it's not a flu so I'm typing this up while I'm still kind of scratchy-throated.

A big distraction throughout the whole mess has been that I'm stuck dead on chapter forty-seven, which I am very tempted to strangle to death and just say to hell with it (but I can't because it's the Final Boss Battle and it _must_ be included).

So, _big_ thank you to everyone who chased after me to make sure I was okay. Your words were kind and supportive and I didn't feel the least bit hounded. I felt so bad for not updating that I almost cried. I'm serious--I'm sensitive like that. The only worthwhile apology that I can really offer for this obnoxiously long disappearance is more to read, so once you finish with _Door Number Two_, skip to my profile (or whatever is easiest for you) and check out the _Timespan_ triad. _Timespan_ has absolutely _nothing_ to do with _DNT_ (read "The Reasoning Behind It" there for a full explanation), but it was (more) finished--as opposed to ninety-five percent of my other stuff--so I trimmed it up for you and _voila_. Enjoy!

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Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	37. TwoWay Street

**Author's Notes:** Chapter thirty-seven! Ah ha! Two chapters in one update! I'd post more, but I'm actually about to add insult to injury. If you read it before, chapter forty-seven is giving me _hells_ of trouble and it is nowhere near done at this point. That means that since last chapter, there are less than ten buffer chapters until you hit my most recent stuff, and I am having _loads_ of kittens over it. So, I am ashamed to say that--at least for the time being--**updates to _Door Number Two_ will be reduced from twice-weekly to once-weekly**, starting with chapter thirty-eight. The new update schedule will be, ideally, late on Thursday (or sometime Friday, depending where in the world you live). I apologize, but at least you know I'm not dead and that there _will_ be more, right? (Insert cheeky "At least you know it's not going to be a two-month wait!" here.)

On a far, far happier note, I have more **_fanart_**, this time from the wonderful **Howling-Wolf**! Check it out at http//www. deviantart .com/ deviation/ 56001024/! Along those lines, I have _finally_ gotten around to fixing my profile (that avatar bit was a big incentive for this, as it turned out), so as of now _all_ fanart (and Lizeth's one-shot) that I know of for _Door Number Two_ are linked there for easy reference (alphabetically, because I am anal-retentive like that).

Also, the very kind **Umbra Estel** is translating _Door Number Two_ into Spanish! Currently, the first three chapters are available for reading at http//www. fanfiction. net/s /3632815, and if I read it right (with my pathetic, years-unused high school Spanish) updates will be weekly. The link to it is in my profile as well.

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 3,364

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 7/21/07

**Disclaimer:** No.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Seven - Two-Way Street

* * *

It had been a long time since he had actually 'visited' his world. Ever since he had spoken to Kakashi, later 'trips' there had been few and far between and, beyond that, had slowly been fading into whispers. He had been worried that he was losing touch with that world--the one that he really belonged in--but the most recent visit was coming in loud and clear. Sakura's familiar, gentle hands smoothed across the sheet on his chest and then she ran a set of fingers through his hair, presumably to make a known-futile attempt to smooth it as well.

"He's going to be okay, Sasuke," she said quietly.

"Hn," Sasuke replied. Naruto could not see him, but his tone indicated that the grunt had actually meant: "How can you be sure?"

_He sounds more like himself than last time, at least,_ Naruto thought.

"His vital signs are strong," Sakura pointed out, also fluent in Sasuke-ese after five years of hearing it daily, probably before even that, being a many-times-rejected ex-fangirl. "I can't say when he'll wake up, but he's really not in any danger."

"Not in danger? Sakura, how are we supposed to protect him when he's . . . _like this_?" Sasuke demanded sharply. "Anything could . . . _Anyone_ . . . We're not always here and someone from Rain--whatever the hell _they_ want with him--has already tried to suffocate him. If Iruka-sensei hadn't been so close by he'd be _dead_ . . . Akatsuki could turn up again at any time and they're nothing to sniff at."

_Okay, maybe __**not**__ so like himself._

"That's why our friends are on shifts," she informed him. "They'll watch over him when we can't." There was no response and she sighed in mild exasperation. "Fine. I'll go get us some food and you stay here and talk to him."

"_Talk to him_?" Sasuke returned incredulously. "He's _unconscious_."

_You prick,_ Naruto hissed silently at his rival. _If you're in this much denial about me being okay then you're __**obviously**__ desperate enough to talk to me even if you think I can't hear you._

Sakura seemed to understand also. "Don't give me that--I _know_ you've been talking to him, Sasuke," she snapped. "Besides that, comatose people often remember when people sit and talk to them--sometimes even what they say. So I'm going to leave and you can rest assured that nobody but him will hear whatever you say."

The door to the room opened and closed and silence reigned for so long Naruto wondered if Sasuke had not left as well. Then:

"I don't know what you're waiting for, but . . . you win, all right? Whatever the hell it is you're trying to beat me at, I concede. Just . . . Just _wake up_, damn it." There was a long pause and then a quiet "Please," followed. His voice had not altered from its general 'Fuck you, World' tone, but his hesitations and the fact that he said 'please' were big signs that he was concerned, if not afraid.

_Holy shit, I melted the glacial man-bitch. Now what? _Naruto struggled to speak and to reassure his rival with a few insults, but only managed a weak, ". . . Sa . . . suke . . ."

To his right there was the clatter of a chair being abandoned suddenly and to his left there was a soft shuffle. "Naruto?! _Naruto_?!"

The door to the room opened. "Sasuke?" Sakura asked.

"He spoke!" Sasuke blurted wildly, sounding a bit more excited by the news than Naruto had thought he would. "Just like Kakashi-sensei said he had!"

Sakura's voice came closer and Naruto felt her hands on his chest and head, buzzing with chakra. "What did he say?"

"Just my name," Sasuke answered, far calmer but still sounding elated. "He didn't sound like he was in pain, only having a hard time getting it out."

Naruto was easily able to imagine Sakura nodding, no doubt zooming through thousands of medical texts she had read. He opened his mouth to speak again, but whatever words he had planned to say were forgotten, replaced by a scream of agony as the familiar angles of a kunai sank into his chest. His eyes flew open and he found himself looking at two worlds overlapping one another; one the sunlit hospital room with Sakura and Sasuke staring down at him in shock, the other his moonlit bedroom in the manor where a ninja hung over him with a hand still on the kunai he had been attacked with. He could feel blood gurgling in his throat with every breath and heard the heart monitor in the hospital room shriek alarmingly as his pulse shot up exponentially. Sakura's chakra-gloved hands began to move across his torso quickly and passed right through the kunai embedded there.

_Ah! Stupid, fucking __**amateur**__! Why the hell didn't you just slit my throat?! It's quieter and __**less **__painful, damn it!_

"What's going on?!" Sasuke demanded.

"I don't know!" Sakura cried. "Physiologically, everything's fine!"

Naruto stared up at the ninja still in his bedroom, trying to see or hear or smell anything that would give away who the person was. He heard nothing, but caught a whiff of wet forest and the moonlight was just enough that he was able to catch sight of the four vertical lines etched into the headband's metal plate.

The bedroom door burst open and a golden blur lunged across the room, electric blue eyes snapping with rage. The intruding ninja attempted a frantic and stumbling retreat, but in the face of such fury there was no escape. In seconds the intruder was disturbingly mutilated and, fortunately for the poor fool, very much dead. The Fourth, wild-eyed and with blood streaked across his face, took in Naruto's wound critically. "_Naruto_?!"

". . . It hurts!" he gasped. _Kyuubi, you bastard! __**Do**__ something!_

_Not yet,_ Kyuubi replied calmly. _For the hundredth time, it will be immensely beneficial to this body if I **don't** participate._

"I know," Arashi soothed shakily, oblivious to the other conversation that was occurring at the same time. "Just hold on for me, okay?"

Naruto tried to control his respiration and heartbeat and watched his father make a series of seals. The Fourth then applied his hands around the kunai, though he was careful to not jostle it and cause any more damage until he was able to remove it and swiftly heal the remains of the stab wound. Abstractly, Naruto both wondered at and was comforted by the fact that the hands which had mere moments ago destroyed another life with remorseless ease were trying to save his own.

_Still, _he thought idly, _with all that Rain-nin's blood on him, this can't be sanitary. Sakura would be pissed._

The heart monitor shrilled a flatline.

"He's coding!" Sakura announced with muted terror. "Sasuke, go find Tsunade-sama! She should still be in the building!"

Sasuke darted from the room as Sakura tried to jump-start Naruto's heart. "Come on, Naruto! _Wake up_!"

The Fourth paused in his work. "Naruto?" His voice lifted in panic when there was no response. "_Naruto_?" He grabbed Naruto's head in his hands and glared at him with fierce dread. "_Naruto_! Wake up, damn it! _Wake up_!"

Sasuke returned to the room with Tsunade, but as the Hokage reached Sakura's side to take over, Sakura's efforts paid off. The heart monitor settled into a weak rhythm and Sakura quickly bent down. She pressed her mouth to Naruto's to breathe into him in hope that it inspired him to take a few more for himself.

It did. He coughed, gasped, and finally breathed on his own. _I could probably make a joke about girls kissing me only when they think I'm not paying attention, but sadly, it's more ironic than funny._

Sakura backed off as Tsunade stepped forward to stabilize him and his father hugged him tightly. "Oh, _Naruto_ . . ."

"Dad," he whispered, and Tsunade paused in her examination to look at him. "Dad, I'm okay now."

"Yes, I know that," was the shaky reply.

"What about that thing?" Tsunade demanded.

He frowned, unsure of what she was talking about, before it occurred to him that because Sasuke and Sakura were in the room she technically could not directly mention Kyuubi even if they already knew, since they had not been old enough to remember the fox's attack on Konoha. _It's taking the wording of the Third's Law of Silence a bit literally, but whatever._ "'S fine. Been with me the whole time."

"Where are _you_?" she prompted.

He could feel himself drifting sleepily away, so he let his head roll a little and held out his right hand. "Sakura . . . Sasuke . . ." Both of them rushed forward and folded their hands around his. "Thanks for . . . for helping save me . . . It's all right . . . Dad's taking . . . care of me. I'll . . . be home soon."

With that, he relaxed and closed his eyes.

"_Naruto_!" his father barked.

He jumped and opened his eyes. He was back solely in his bedroom. "W-What?"

"_Don't_ go to sleep!"

"I wasn't," he mumbled sleepily, exhausted. "I just had my eyes closed. I'm really okay now, Dad. I promise."

"I don't care. You have to stay awake until a doctor says it's okay for you to sleep. That's an order from your Hokage."

* * *

"Another Rain-nin," his father muttered almost inaudibly as Hotaru read Nyoko a book. Naruto looked up at him from where he was reclined in the Fourth's lap, reading his own book. His father smiled warmly at him and stroked his hair. "How're you feeling?" he asked softly.

Neither Hotaru nor Nyoko knew that Naruto had come so close to dying--had _been_ dead for a short time. Hotaru had been told that Naruto had awakened in time to mostly deflect the stab, so the wound was much more shallow than it would have been. From Hotaru's reaction Naruto had a doubt that she had really accepted that explanation on her own, but had rather been forced to because of his state by the time she had been allowed to see him.

"I'm okay," he responded. "My chest hurts a little, but it's not too bad."

The Fourth automatically lifted a hand to rub at Naruto's chest where the day-old wound was. "Going to have to take it easy for a while, okay?"

Naruto nodded and relaxed against his father's solid frame, closing his eyes and letting the older blond's newly-familiar touch and scent lull him. _I'm going to miss this._

_Glad you're deciding to go back where you belong,_ Kyuubi prodded, annoyed. _I've figured out how to get you back._

_Let this body recover first. We don't know what the recoil might do to it._

_That's a bad idea._

_Then it's a bad idea. We're staying. Besides, if that myobu's coming we might be needed._

_Stupid little fuck . . ._

_Who's stupid? **You** said adrenalin would cut off the connection between the worlds and look at what happened!_

_Adrenalin **does** cut the connection. The difference was that because you were in your proper body at the time this body was attacked, you were trapped between the worlds. The outside disruption altered that link._

_And I would have died in both worlds._

_Quite._

_Well, then, could I still die in both worlds right now?_

_Without you, your body cannot survive. Without this body, **you** cannot survive._

"Naruto."

On that rather morbid note, Naruto gladly exchanged his attention to Kyuubi for his attention to the Fourth. "Yeah?"

"After the Rain-nin's attack, you . . ."--the Fourth hesitated and then briefly made a face for some reason--"you spoke to Sakura and Sasuke. You told them you'd 'be home soon.'"

_Shit! He heard that?!_

_He was standing over you,_ Kyuubi snorted. _Of course he heard it._

Naruto pretended to think. "I did?"

His father nodded, but in a resigned way, as though he had expected Naruto to not remember yet hoped he might.

"Sorry, I---"

"No, it's all right. I just thought I'd ask, in case you knew."

_Because he doesn't think for a minute his son would lie to him about something like that,_ Naruto thought sourly. _I will **not** succumb to a guilty conscience after **this** many lies, damn it!_

Naruto and Nyoko spent the night with their parents, as they had been doing often recently, and the next morning the Fourth surprised them all by announcing that he had taken the day off and the four of them were going to spend it having fun in the village. That was how Naruto found himself walking along a crowded market district street, all but glued to his father's hip so as not to get bumped aside and lost in the crowd. It was not that the people were not _trying_ to give him room--it was that there _was_ no room.

"Arashi," Hotaru called, "I appreciate this, but isn't there a better way?"

"There are over a dozen better ways there, yes," Arashi replied cheerfully, nodding to someone's greeting. "However, my love, you are not a ninja."

They made it to their destination--a classy-looking restaurant--just in time for lunch.

Hotaru gawked at the menu. "_Arashi_! This is _expensive_!"

"It's not like I don't have a really good job."

"But---"

Arashi let his menu fall to the table. "Firefly," he said with gentle patience, "how many times have we gone out to eat since . . . since Nyoko was born?"

Hotaru hesitated. ". . . Um . . ."

"Let me give you a hint," he teased, reaching over to point at a zero on her menu. "The number is something like _this_." He smiled at her look of defiant helplessness. "Now _choose_. It'll take ages to get out here as it is."

She sighed. "Oh . . . Oh, all _right_."

"You know you wanted to anyway."

She ignored him and said to the server as she gestured to her very round stomach and then indicated herself, "I'll have a bowl of beef ramen for the passenger section and sweet and sour pork for the captain of the ship."

Arashi giggled obnoxiously.

She shot him a look out of the corner of her eye, then added loudly, "And he'll have the bull dick, because he is one."

"Oh," Arashi whined, unaffected by the wide-eyed stares they were getting. "That's mean."

"It's deserved," Hotaru replied, voice firm but eyes dancing. "It's only mean because you didn't think of it first."

The hour passed mostly quietly since they were all eating, and as they were finishing their food Naruto asked on impulse, "Dad, are you a genius?"

"A genius what?" was the blank response.

"If _that's_ not a good enough answer," Hotaru put in, "I don't know what is."

Arashi made a face at her while Naruto, who was beginning to wonder--though he enjoyed witnessing such moments between his parents immensely--if _he_ was the most mature member of his family, clarified, "A genius ninja."

"What makes you think I'm a genius?"

"You just . . . _know_ so much. I mean . . ." Naruto hesitated, trying to avoid mentioning information from _his_ world. "I mean, the Hokage has to know at least a thousand jutsu. How is it possible to remember so many?"

"Practice. _No_," he corrected when Naruto groaned. "_Listen_. It's proven that most people remember words better than numbers. When you practice a jutsu, you associate its seals with its name. Since each jutsu has a different name, you instinctively associate each seal with part of that name and it helps you remember. Writing them down and studying them also helps. So to answer your question, no, I'm not a genius. I just know how to get things done."

"Are you _sure_?"

"Deathly. Why?"

"I was just wondering." _Because I'll never have another opportunity to ask you._

"Are you trying to get me to teach you something specific?"

Naruto considered that. ". . . Nope. Just curious."

The Fourth smiled and ruffled his hair. "Now that you've buckled down and shown that you're willing to train, I'll have to teach you a really cool jutsu. I haven't done that in a while, so it's past time, I think."

Naruto could hardly believe his luck. _I won't even have to ask and then sound suspicious! __**Yes**!_ "Really?!"

"Sure. We can---Oh, hang on," the older blond interrupted himself cheerfully. "I have to help Tubbo out of the booth."

Hotaru's eyes flashed and she got to her feet faster than Naruto had ever seen a pregnant woman--particularly one that far along--move. She swung at Arashi's head and he ducked and skittered out of the restaurant with the hysterical laugh of a person who had virtually gotten away with murder. "Get back here and take your beating like a man, you flaccid piece of chicken . . . _neck_!" she howled, waving her fist at his retreating back threateningly.

Naruto helped clean Nyoko up and carried her out of the restaurant to where his father was waiting for them, still grinning. Hotaru punched him in the small of his back and he yelped. "Not so low, my love," he whimpered. "You want my kidneys to rupture? You want me to _die_? Who'd be the breadwinner if I bought the farm, huh?"

Hotaru pointed at Naruto. "He's shown that _he'd_ be a good alpha male."

The Fourth looked at Naruto. "You power-hungry, traitorous mama's boy. The least you could do is side with your own gender."

Naruto snorted. "I'm not too proud to live in a matriarchal society. Are you?"

"Abandoned!" his father wailed, and fell to his knees dramatically. "Abandoned by my own son! _How could this be_?!"

"You're in quite the mood," Hotaru noted, pointedly placing her stomach on his head so his neck had to support the twins' weight.

"Today's a good day," the Fourth answered with a happy grin, careful to balance the new weight so he did not hurt himself or her.

"So it is. Where to now?"

"The baths!"

"_No_," Hotaru said firmly. "At least not while that _pervert_ is around."

"Sensei left two days ago," Arashi chuckled. "Also, these baths have roofs, and the walls are the brand-new peeping-proof type."

"Oh. That's fine, then."

"Shall we?"

"We shall." Hotaru reclaimed the job of supporting the twins and Arashi got to his feet to dust off his knees, then offered her his arm. She took it, smiling. "Oh, why thank you, kind sir."

Naruto watched them for a bit, warmed by their open affection, and shifted Nyoko for the umpteenth time. "You're heavy," he told the toddler, who giggled, "I wish there was an easier way to carry you." He recalled their first meeting and how he had held the same desire then. "I wish I had _hips_." He took in the packed street and all of the hips that were not his to make use of. "_Any_ hips, really, but preferably the really shapely and sexy . . ."--he paused as the word passed through his mind--". . . kind?"

He debated it, wondering if it would give him away.

_Hell no,_ Kyuubi replied. _You've been flitting about by yourself so often that it wouldn't be that much of a surprise that you'd learned something for yourself._

That was true, though Naruto doubted it was really the same thing, considering the nature of the jutsu. He was careful to only gather his own chakra, separate from the fox's, so as to not alert the clerics. "_Henge_!" With his new porn star body--even if it _was_ hidden beneath his clothes--he thrust his hip out as he could see a few nearby women doing and settled Nyoko on the new shelf it so handily provided. He sighed loudly as his back thanked him. "Ahh . . ." He then looked at the little arrangement again and grinned. "That's pretty cool. It's an instant baby seat!"

His parents, hearing the loud announcement, turned to him questioningly. When they saw him, each lifted a hand to cover a gawking mouth.

_. . . Uh oh . . ._

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

"Coding" is general hospital slang for cardiopulmonary arrest (a patient's heart and lungs have stopped functioning). There's no specific color or number or word that indicates it across the board, but "Code Blue" and "Code Red" are the most common.

---

Bulls are actually symbols of fertility in many cultures, and eating a bull's penis (or various parts from a number of other animals) supposedly improves a man's sexual performance (there's no documented proof). I wasn't actually thinking of any type of connection until _long_ after I wrote that scene and there still isn't one at this point, but I thought I'd mention it here anyway, for entertainment's sake.

---

If you are a man--women are usually more polite with their teasing--do _not_ call your pregnant girlfriend/wife (or anybody else's pregnant girlfriend/wife) "Tubbo" unless you two have an understanding. Obviously, it's rude and insensitive, and any (potential) in-laws aren't going to like hearing you talk like that about their daughter, such as the couple who went out to supper with the wife's parents when the wife was about seven or eight months along. The wife was bemoaning her new girth, claiming she was "as big as a house", and her mother assured her that she was "only the size of a cabin", to which the wife's husband--in an apparent lapse of sanity--responded, "Cruiser." One can imagine the wife's mother gave him a tonguelashing for that (a cabin cruiser is, by the way, a boat ranging from 17 to 45 ft--5 to 13 m--in length).

---

The 'instant baby seat' was something said by one of my sister's male friends. He had been observing a toddler wandering about, and when a nearby girl approached the baby, the child naturally lifted his arms to her to be picked up. She did so, and promptly stuck her hip out to support the toddler's weight so her arms would not have to. The male friend was, for some reason, tickled pink by the whole event.

---

Don't forget to look for the first part of the _Timespan _triad!

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Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	38. Ophidian

**Author's Notes:** Chapter thirty-eight! Definitely the calm before the storm. Or rather, the hurricane.

**LaundryGirl**: I went with both my sisters, then with my mom and the boarding school she drives a bus for. The bus was full of boys and they were pretty excited about it. And don't be embarrassed--fangirling isn't a crime yet. Take pride in it! XD

**Jelp**: I'm trying to make plans so that ideally, all my readers will be informed if I die unexpectedly (I'm still young, anyway, so it'd be hard for me to die of old age). Still, try to think positively for me--I rather enjoy being alive. ;)

**sashlea**: Unfortunately, character development for parallel!Naruto is going to be vague during _Door Number Two_. However, I intend to rectify that in some 'deleted scenes' following _DNT_'s completion.

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 3,160

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 7/27/07

**Disclaimer:** No.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Eight - Ophidian

* * *

His father stared, at first unable to comprehend what he was seeing. " Naruto, you . . ."

" What in the _world_ . . .?" Hotaru recovered first. " _Naruto_!"

" What?!" he cried, voice high. " Nyoko's _heavy_ and this solved the problem!"

Hotaru turned to the Fourth. " What _is_ that?"

His father was extremely amused and did not move his hand. " Looks like a girl to me."

Hotaru hit him in the arm.

"It's a modified transformation jutsu," Naruto explained, hoping that his openness would help dodge any information-digging, "that's all."

"_For what purpose_?" Hotaru prompted.

". . . Pranking, generally."

The Fourth burst into peals of laughter, even ignoring when Hotaru elbowed him hard in the gut. "That's rich!"

"It means he's been spying on women, you dope!"

His father grew serious instantly. "Have you been spying on your sisters?"

"No!"

"Your mother?"

"_No_!"

The Fourth considered him, then said, "I guess I'll let it go, but only if you swear you'll never do something like that again without warning someone."

"_Arashi_!" Hotaru protested.

"What?" his father asked. "It's not like he'd remember names and faces, so we can't go all over the village apologizing to every woman we come across."

"He's _violated_ women's bodies!"

"What am I supposed to do, Hotaru? Take the jutsu away from him? Paddling has never worked, after all, and grounding him won't make it go away."

"Just . . . There must be _something_!"

The Fourth looked at her, then sighed softly and gestured for Naruto to move closer. He obeyed and they began to walk down the street toward the bathhouse. "Naruto, while honesty requires that I admit you've come up with something very entertaining, at the same time you've also done something terrible. It's not okay to look at any woman's body when she doesn't show it to you voluntarily. That's abusing her trust and taking what doesn't belong to you, even if only visually. Like your sisters, for example. They come from appalling backgrounds and much of the time they've been through what you've done, only it was taken to the next level. If you had been spying on them and they had found out about it, they would have cried because I'd told them that things weren't like that here and it would have made me a liar and both of us no better than those people in the places they had come from."

Hotaru nodded firmly.

Naruto wilted beneath his parents' disapproval. _So this is what it feels like to be scolded by your parents . . . I'm seventeen years old and I feel like I'm less than half that age._ Somehow, it was a thousand times worse than the villagers' shouting or even Iruka's righteous fury. ". . . I'm sorry." It occurred to him that the women _he_ had been spying on came from a place that hated him, so it was really much more fair than his parents knew. Still, particularly for his mother's sake, he did not take the apology back.

His father placed a reassuring hand on his head and smiled gently. "Just keep it in mind, okay? Women are bashful creatures of self-consciousness--they'd think something was wrong even if they had the perfect body. Like your mother. She holds herself to a standard I still haven't been able to understand even though she has curves in all the right places."

That was not a thought Naruto was ready to consider. "Dad, please . . ."

"_Arashi_!" Hotaru screeched. "He's _twelve years old_!"

"So? If he can spy on women in bathhouses then surely he can talk about their bodies. Good gods . . ."

"Not Mom's, please," Naruto requested.

"Not _mine_, thank you!" Hotaru snapped simultaneously.

They arrived at the bathhouse just as a few of the girls did, all of whom carried bathhouse equipment.

"Thank you, my lovelies!" Arashi chirped, smiling gratefully. "Sorry I made you come so far just to keep a secret."

The girls smiled back shyly, clearly a little uncomfortable in the crowded surroundings, and blushed when he hugged them and kissed each on the cheek. With the buckets of supplies left behind, they began to head home.

Naruto was glad, belatedly, that they had not noticed him.

They split up at the front desk, Hotaru taking Nyoko into the women's side and shooting the Fourth dirty looks when he made suggestive noises or said suggestive things.

"Mom's right," Naruto noted, swiftly cancelling his jutsu as they headed into the men's side. "You _are_ a pervert."

His father grimaced at being reprimanded by his own child. "Kid, I hate to tell you this, but I'm a man. It comes with the territory."

"_I_ don't do that kind of stuff."

"Wait until you hit puberty."

Naruto almost told him that he _had_--_ages_ ago--but caught himself at the last minute.

"I also got this way because of my stupid teacher and my stupid student, so don't ever spend more time around them than you have to or it'll happen to you, too."

_Too late for that,_ Naruto muttered to himself. _**Way**__ too late._

They washed and then settled into the hot water. Naruto moaned as the heat found and soothed knots in his back, arms, and legs that were left from his trip to hide away in Wave Country. He let his face rest on a surprisingly cool, dewy stone and closed his eyes as the penetrating warmth melted his insides into a pleased puddle of goo. Callused fingers carefully trailed along his forehead, over his temple, and into his hairline before drawing back and repeating the gesture. Lulled by the tender touch, Naruto sleepily opened his eyes.

His father looked at him, hair limp with the water and startlingly long, his expression soft. "How've you been, Little Fox?"

"Much better, now that I'm home." He sighed heavily. _It was like I was back where I'm supposed to be, hiding from assholes and scrounging for decent food. Nothing I was a stranger to, but immensely unpleasant all the same._ "I missed you and Mom and Nyoko."

His father leaned down and kissed his forehead. "We missed you, too."

Naruto gazed up at him, then smiled. "I'm glad you're my dad."

"Oh really?"

It was clear that he wanted to know why, but Naruto closed his eyes again, unwilling to explain. "Yeah." _It's not totally about him defeating Kyuubi or having everyone adore him like I used to think. It's about him being a gentle, kind Hokage and father. He's been showing me what I need to be when I go back and he doesn't even know it. But I guess . . . I guess that's a dad's job, right? To show his children what a man is supposed to be._

_It is the sire's duty to set the best possible example for his offspring,_ Kyuubi agreed. _If he fails at that, he's an unworthy stud and should die._

Naruto grimaced internally, but he was mostly used to the fox's casual talk of killing--foxes were predators, after all. _And would you say Dad's unworthy?_

_He has many shortcomings, but he is a proper sire,_ Kyuubi conceded in a sour tone. _Or, at least, as proper as can be expected from a race that has abandoned most of its good senses. His paternal instincts are unusually strong, but they will serve his bloodline by guarding his kits from harm and thus ensuring the continuation of his bloodtraits._

_Bloodtraits?_ Naruto echoed, feeling a sudden surge of excitement for no viable reason. _You mean a kekkei genkai?!_

_A what? Oh . . ._ Kyuubi snorted. _Displeased as I am--not--to burst your bubble, no. **Bloodtraits**, moron. The things passed along during breeding._

_What, **genes**?_ Naruto had to admit that he had set himself up for that letdown. One day, he would remember that things were just a little different when talking to a fox. _Why the hell didn't you just say that?_

_I **did**. It's not my fault you're too stupid to grasp what are clearly far too complicated concepts._

He nearly fell asleep--his chats with Kyuubi did not always keep him awake, especially in such quiet, warm surroundings--but managed to keep himself up by yawning repeatedly. Hazily, he could remember closing his eyes and leaning against the Fourth's arm, feeling the smooth play of his father's bicep as the older blond animated his conversation with some other men with a few tame hand gestures. He let himself drift off to some distant location, secure in his safety but not quite asleep, and groaned barely half an hour later when the Fourth nudged him persistently.

"Go away!" he hissed.

"We have to get out, Naruto. Unless, that is, you _want_ to be a wrinkly red raisin?"

Grumbling, Naruto climbed out of the bath and toweled himself off, then dressed and met Hotaru and Nyoko in the front hall. His father joined them a moment later and they headed home through the falling night, Nyoko babbling excitedly to her family about everything they had done for that day. They reached the top of the Monument and Naruto paused to look back across the village and out into Fire Country.

". . . Naruto?"

Naruto looked westward, unable to see the myobu but aware that it was there. _It's going to be hard to defeat it . . ._ Kyuubi shifted absently and sighed boredly from within his cage. A terrible thought struck Naruto then and he turned frantically toward his father, who was looking at him with mild curiosity. "Dad," he said, and was shocked to hear that his voice was quivering, "you aren't . . . the myobu . . . you can't . . ."

"Naruto," the Fourth said gently, "that doesn't make any sense."

"You _can't_!" Naruto blurted.

"Can't _what_?"

"_Seal it_!"

His father drew back, startled and confused. ". . . How did you . . .?"

"_Promise_!" Naruto commanded hysterically, subconsciously aware that such promises meant virtually nothing. Death was an equal opportunity thief. "Promise me you won't seal it!"

Bewildered, the Fourth replied, "Naruto, I know you're close to Kyuubi, but this is most definitely _not_ the sa---"

"_I don't care about that stupid fox_!" he shrieked. "_I don't want YOU to die_!"

Arashi gaped slightly. _How the __**hell**__ does he know about the shiki fuujin? . . . No, he can't. He must mean that he doesn't want me to get within range of the myobu's attacks._ ". . . I'm afraid I can't promise you anything, Naruto, aside from care with my actions. A myobu is . . . not weak. That's under _normal_ circumstances. It's hard to say what the clerics have done to this one."

"But Dad . . . what if you die?"

Arashi gestured for Hotaru to take Nyoko into the house. Hotaru resisted firmly. "Arashi, what's this about?"

"Hotaru, _please_? I'll explain it to you later, okay?"

Hotaru harrumphed and turned up her nose slightly as she marched into the house.

Arashi massaged his sinuses. "Great." He refocused on his firstborn and crouched down to be more or less at his level, though Naruto was big enough to be taller than him by that point. "Naruto, this isn't a normal circumstance--it's not one where I'm supposed to sit back and let everyone else do all of the work for me. I don't _want_ to die and I don't _plan_ to die. _Ever_. But . . . I can never promise that I won't. I'm very powerful, but there are some things that are greater than me. Still, I can't just let them walk all over me and take my family away." He swallowed the lump that developed at the thought. "I couldn't bear it if you died, Naruto," he whispered, and the mere thought made his heart shudder. "I couldn't. It would kill me."

Naruto could not stop his lower lip from trembling. "Dad, please . . ." he whimpered as he leaned forward and wrapped his arms around his father's neck. "Please don't leave me again. I'm not ready. I'm not ready . . ."

Arashi braced himself on a knee to support his son's weight better and rubbed the boy's back soothingly. Then Naruto's words really reached him. ". . . Again?" Naruto did not answer. "Naruto, when did I ever leave you?"

"Hokage-sama."

Naruto flinched violently and Arashi snarled both protectively and for being interrupted in the middle of an important conversation. "_What_?"

The ANBU was out of the line of sight, but that was probably better for the elite's own safety, bodily _and_ professionally. "You have guests. Sandaime-sama and---"

"They can wait!" he snapped.

The ANBU left, but it was too late; the connection had been broken. Naruto drew away with a tiny sniffle and smiled with glassy eyes. "You should go see what the old man wants. I just got a little too excited, I guess."

He turned and ran to the house and Arashi got to his feet. "Naruto!" The boy did not even slow his steps and Arashi sighed worriedly and dusted his knee off as the smaller blond disappeared into the house. With a westward glance back over his left shoulder, eyes searching for something not yet close enough to be seen, Arashi turned to the manor himself.

Inside, Akane was waiting for him and Takako was hurrying past the doorway with a tea tray in her hands. "Sandaime Hokage-sama is here with his student."

Arashi managed to chuckle a bit as he slid off his sandals. "My dear, _I_ am a student of the Sandaime, as are Naruto and my own jounin-sensei. You're going to have to be more specific than that."

Flustered, Akane stuttered, "Oh, well . . . I . . . I'm afraid I . . . I'm afraid I don't know his name. But he's thin and has long hair an---"

"Stop. I know exactly who it is. Thank you."

Right then, there was a terrific crash in the hall and Takako yelped in fright. Arashi ran to the doorway and looked into the corridor only to see Naruto standing unsteadily on one foot, his free leg and both his arms outstretched to balance various delicate porcelain saucers and cups. A steaming teapot was nestled among the boy's blond spikes.

"Don't rush so much, nee-chan," Naruto admonished Takako gently. "You were going so fast I couldn't even get out of your way."

"I'm so sorry!" she cried.

"Apologize by taking this stuff off, please."

"Oh!" Takako scrambled to her feet as Akane darted toward them and the two girls were quick to collect the expensive tea set.

"No, leave the tea--I can hold that." When the dishes were taken to safety, Naruto put his other foot down and removed the teapot himself. "That was lucky, wasn't it?"

"Thank you very much for your help, Naruto-sama," Takako said shakily. "I promise I'll be more careful next time." She vanished into the lounge and Akane scurried off to do whatever her duties were for the evening.

"That was pretty impressive," Arashi acknowledged.

Naruto turned to him, smiled a little, then ran down the hall and flung his arms around his father's ribs. He nuzzled closer and inhaled deeply as Arashi embraced him, confident once more in his control of his emotions. _I'll find a way. I swear I'll change this. I won't let him die, no matter what I have to do!_

Kyuubi picked disinterestedly between his fangs with a pinkie claw. _Don't be an idiot, little boy. We don't have the rights to this body's fate. If he wants to get his stupid ass killed, let him._

Naruto snarled silently. _You bastard, he __**saved**__ this version of you! Saved your sickening, worthless life and let you live here! Isn't that worth __**anything**__ to you?!_

Expecting a protest centered around not having _asked_ to be protected, Kyuubi surprised him a little by saying, _I haven't tried to kill him yet, have I?_

Startled, Naruto had to concede the point. With the seal split, Kyuubi probably could have taken control of their current body more than the one time he already had. _Fine, but don't mutter about him dying when I can hear it. I don't like you as it is._

_And here I was weeping for your affection,_ was the sarcastic response.

"Arashi-kun!" called a vaguely familiar voice. "Who taught you your manners?"

Arashi chuckled a little and Naruto listened as the sound was muffled comfortingly by the Fourth's fit, healthy body. "I don't know. Nobody's admitted to it yet." His father lifted his right arm and Naruto's left side was squashed slightly as the other person hugged the Fourth. "Wow, it's been _ages_ since you were here last. How have you been? Seen anything new?"

"More than you ever will, stuck behind that desk," came the gentle tease.

"Hey, once upon a time you _wanted_ to be stuck behind that desk."

"Well, we can always change our minds . . . unless we don't know what we want."

"Oh?" Arashi teased back. "And what can't you decide upon?"

"Are you telling me someone as young as you has no regrets of impetuosity?"

Arashi rubbed Naruto's back soothingly. "Not ones that would include me losing what I have now, no."

"That's a very mature viewpoint. From whom did you steal it?"

"Aha ha ha, you geriatric _snaca_. You're still in really good shape for your age, but you need to remember that I'm getting to be a sharp old fart myself."

"Perhaps something like that _is_ possible . . ."

"Hey now . . ."

The voice chuckled and said, "So is this the great heir?"

"You bet. You'll have to excuse him. He's had a big day and I think he's still a little tired since he's been away from here for so long."

"Sarutobi-sensei told me about that," the deepish voice noted, slightly concerned. "How is that coming along?"

"Terribly. I have _nothing_ on these guys--nobody knows who or what they are."

"Why don't we have some tea and you can tell me what's going on? I may have heard a thing or two." Naruto felt a hand settle carefully on his head and scruffle his hair a bit. "What do you think, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto looked around and up at the speaker . . . and felt the blood drain from his face. He whirled so that his back pressed against the Fourth's front, his arms spread out to either side defensively as his stomach churned in time with his gasping breaths. _Fuck! Everything's the same with him as back home! How could I have __**not**__ noticed this?! Recognized his voice?! Is it possible I'm still such a dumb shit even years later?!_ He sought about for a weapon, but there were none in his line of sight. _Damn it, I have to protect Dad! Especially with the myobu coming . . ._

"Easy, Naruto," Arashi coaxed.

"Goodness," the man said in surprise, rather taken aback by Naruto's sudden anxious movements. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes. Naruto just has a little trouble around people he doesn't recognize. He'll be okay in a minute." Naruto felt his father's hands on his shoulders, restraining him carefully in case he tried to bolt. "Come on, Naruto! You remember Orochimaru-jisan, don't you?"

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

_Ophidian_ is a derivative of _ophidia_, which is a Modern Latin term for a snake. _Snaca_ is the Old English term for the same.

---

Yes, I am accusing men in general of perversion. So what? I freely admit that women are perverts, too, just _usually_ more subtle about it. There's probably a statistic on it--there are statistics for even the stupidest things--but I'm not going to go looking for it.

---

Ha ha! Thus has Orochimaru _finally_ been introduced! If his friendly behavior has caused your brain to fall out of your head, please catch it before it hits the floor--my mother's chihuahuas try to eat everything that drops from above.

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	39. Collapse

**Public Service Announcement:** Anymore these days, being on the Internet is like having unprotected sex--eventually, you will carry STDs even if you don't show symptoms. Do your best to keep your computer's protective and preventive measures up-to-date, so that you won't have to wipe the computer clean like my dad did (for some reason, he doesn't feel these measures are necessary despite the fact that we have DSL). That is why this update is late; we were briefly without the Internet all day Thursday (even though Dad had been alerted to the issue on _Tuesday_). I apologize--my father is . . . silly.

**Author's Notes:** Chapter thirty-nine! Probably four edits or more and I still don't think the second half of this chapter is all that good, though it's hella better than the original piece. Too . . . _Much_ too . . . cliché, but my imagination has failed me here. Suggestions?

**Max**: Thank you very much--I'm glad you've enjoyed it so much!

**Kat**: _Deathly Hallows_ didn't distract me for long, though it did distract me. I almost _didn't_ update, because I _am_ lazy like that, but I made myself do it and get back into the rhythm (aren't you lucky? XD). The power of a name isn't a new concept, but you generally don't see it outside of mythology, fantasy, and sometimes sci-fi stuff. Maybe his name _is_ Ronald, and maybe that's why he went crazy.

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 3,590

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 8/4/07

**Disclaimer:** No.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Nine - Collapse

* * *

_You bet your ass I do,_ Naruto hissed in his mind. He bent down and launched forward, then delivered a low right hook to the snake summoner's stomach, a left hook to the same place, another right hook to the same, and would have gotten in at least another left, but it was at that point that the Fourth circled powerful arms around his ribs and staggered back with his flailing body in tow.

"Naruto! What the hell's wrong with you?!"

Naruto glared, gratified that Orochimaru looked quite pained. Kyuubi was nodding in the back of the blond's mind as the snake charmer rubbed his stomach with a wince. _Grand job,_ the fox praised acerbically. _Way to forget__** everything **__about where you are, just like the one-track minded beetle I always say you are._

Arashi set him on the floor forcefully and turned him so that Naruto _had_ to look him in the eyes. Electric-blue stared into electric-blue and Arashi bottled his surprise when he realized that yes, Naruto recognized Orochimaru, but there was only sheer hatred behind his son's eyes. No other emotion, just absolute _loathing_. "Naruto, what the hell is _wrong_ with you?!" he demanded again, shaking the smaller blond.

Naruto pointed at Orochimaru accusatorially. "He wanted to be the Fourth Hokage!"

"It's not like he stormed out of Konoha in a rage when he wasn't selected!"

"Except that he _did_!"

"_Naruto_!" Arashi barked impatiently. "This man has _changed your diapers_! He couldn't have done that if he hadn't been _in this village_!"

Naruto stared in shocked disbelief. _He __**WHAT**?!_ His mouth quickly followed with, "He _what_?!"

Arashi pointed. "Get to your room!"

"But he took Sa---"

"_NOW_!" Arashi roared, and Naruto jumped--not out of fear, but at the sheer volume of his father's voice. He had never heard the Fourth shout that loudly before. "You _go_ to your bedroom and you _stay_ there for tonight, through tomorrow, and the next day, and the next! You don't _ever_ set foot out of that room until _I_ come and get you, damn it! _IS THAT CLEAR_?!"

Even though he really did not have a right to be, Naruto felt distinctly betrayed by the whole thing. He snarled and turned away. "_FUCK_!" he spat as he stomped along the hall, giving Orochimaru a look of odium that neither adult had ever thought was possible from a child. He turned sharply and with his left hand punched clear through the wall that separated the hallway from the lounge. "_FUCK_!" he repeated, apparently too enraged to be coherent. He then yanked his arm from the wall without concern for the harm a lack of care would cause him and vanished around the corner, leaving a trail of red liquid dots for anyone to follow.

When he was gone, Arashi slumped weakly against the wall and let out a shaky breath of some emotion he could not identify. "Orochimaru-jisan, are you all right?"

"I'm fine," the taller ninja answered. "He managed to hit me a bit harder than I expected, but it's nothing that won't be gone by tomorrow morning."

"I'm so sorry," Arashi murmured. "I wish I knew what got into him. He's usually _shy_ or _frightened_ around strangers, not _angry beyond reason_."

Orochimaru leaned forward and rested his fingertips lightly on Arashi's shoulder. "Let's sit down and we can try to figure it out, all right?"

Arashi nodded and stepped blindly into the lounge. He spent the rest of the night with his fingers pressed against his eyelids, hoping to ward off the stress of a situation that was on the verge of becoming what was--he honestly felt--a total and incomprehensible farce.

* * *

Arashi stared down at the pictures with a mixture of shock, anger, and denial. _This isn't possible. There's no way . . ._

"Hokage-sama, I think you can see why we're concerned."

"_No_!" he denied, slamming the pictures down on the table of evidence in front of him. "This isn't _possible_!"

"_Arashi_," came the stern reply, "you've admitted that you have no knowledge as to your son's whereabouts for four days recently. Three of those pictures were taken on three of the days he was absent, and there was no incident on the remaining day."

"What about the rest?!"

"The rest are even more likely to be true, since your son was allowed to roam about as he pleased, no matter the time of day or night."

"But what about the photographer?! Naruto's not a perfect ninja, but he's good enough that he would still notice someone trying to _sneak_ up on him like this and get out of the camera's range! Even if he wasn't, what are the odds of this person getting _so many_ shots of Naruto, and _good_ ones at that?!"

"We have had regular reports on this sent to you. The village knows little, but certainly _you_ are aware of how many people have actually died because of this. This many pictures isn't out of the question--a photographer always carries at least one camera with him or her. It's also possible that these pictures were not all taken by the same person. We're lucky that whoever it is hasn't gone running his mouth to every gossip in the village."

"This is a _set-up_!" Arashi insisted. "I _know_ it is! _Please_ reconsider! It's _rash_!"

There was a long silence, then a sigh.

". . . The council will take a full hour's adjournment, then we shall reconvene and further discuss this. If you have anyone you would like to assist you, bring them at that time."

Arashi almost protested, but restrained himself. He bowed his head slightly and fled the chamber, squinting as he exited into bright sunlight. _What am I going to do?!_ he wondered as he raced along the streets, dodging people and carts without even really registering their presences. _I can't let this happen! But I have no credible witnesses to offer! Everyone would be considered bribed or frightened of retribution! Gods, Naruto, why couldn't you have stayed in your room like I told you to?!_

Without giving much thought to his destination, he blew into the administration building and came to sudden stop in front of the doors to his office. He turned about suddenly and the chuunin secretaries, who had all been grasping at the loose papers his entrance had stirred up, froze and stared at him with wide eyes.

"Somebody get me a bottle of water!" he snapped. "And if anybody wants to see me, the goddamn _world_ better be coming to an end!"

All of the secretaries nodded rapidly and he flung open the doors in such a way that they slammed shut behind him without him having to touch them again. About thirty seconds later, one of the secretaries scurried in with his water, set it on the nearer corner of his desk, and bolted back to the relative safety of the outer office. Arashi grabbed the bottle, opened it, and downed half of the contents in a matter of seconds. With that done, he let fly a stream of profanities that would have made any boatman blush, then slammed his forehead hard onto his desk.

Only once, though--more would have been stupid.

_What am I going to do?! What am I going to __**do**?!_

He had about fifteen minutes to think it over before he heard shouts from his secretaries, then a screech of alarm.

"_Papa_! _PAPA_!"

Arashi looked at the door to his office as it opened and Shinju spilled inside. "Shinju?"

"Papa!" she sobbed. "T-The council . . . N-Naruto . . . You have to save him!"

He left his chair and went over to her, kneeling in front of her worriedly. "Shinju, what's going on?"

She took in several deep breaths, then blurted, "The council thinks Naruto is responsible for the murders and they've ordered his death!"

_Those . . . Those lying __**bastards**!_

Arashi was out the window and following a line of ninja before he even registered that he was moving. There was no point in trying to stop them--if the council felt the Hokage was too close to an issue to make a properly objective judgement, they had the power to circumvent him or her after explaining how the Hokage was influenced, why it was a problem, and two-thirds of the council agreed with the reasoning. At that moment, for that occasion, the shinobi were no longer subject to his commands, but the council's instead.

He was powerless.

_Yet there's . . . there's **one** thing I can still do. I don't want to, but . . . No, I can't do that, either. I'll have to . . ._ He stopped, unable to believe he had even thought the idea. _. . . Dear god, no . . ._

"W-What the hell, Kakashi-sensei?!"

He pivoted sharply and followed the voice to its source, then leaped in the way to deflect his student's attack. _There's a needle to the heart,_ he mused bitterly. _Harm my student to save my son._ "Get out of here, Naruto!"

To his relief, his son obeyed immediately.

Kakashi put more weight behind his kunai, though from his expression it was a gesture of habit more than need. "He _must_ die, sensei! The council has commanded it!"

Arashi pushed back furiously with his own three-pronged kunai. "I know that! I may be the Hokage, but I'm a shinobi, too--_I'll_ do it!"

"You _can't_!" Kakashi snarled, unsure--clearly as unsettled as he was. "He's _your son_!"

"That's exactly why I _have_ to!" Arashi shouted back, abruptly halting the stand-off. He lunged down the path Naruto had taken and left Kakashi to stumble to keep his feet.

After nearly an hour of searching, not knowing where his son would go, he stopped in a small clearing. ". . . Naruto?"

There was a long silence, then some nearby brush rustled and Naruto reluctantly exited a dense thicket of thorns. He started to step toward the smaller blond, carefully prying The Father away from The Shinobi and forcing him into a distant corner of his mind. _There must be **something** . . .!_ He had been intending to make it quick so that his emotions did not have time to get over the shock and protest right away, but Naruto cautiously kept the same distance between them, backing up as Arashi moved forward and keeping himself braced to jump away in the event that something was thrown at him. _Goddamn it, **what am I overlooking**?!_

"A question, _Dad_."

Arashi flinched at the aggressive hatred in the boy's harsh tone; hatred that was directed squarely at him. It was like a kunai to the gut. _He can't mean it, but . . ._ "All right."

"What the _fuck_ is going on?!" he snarled. "One minute I'm with Mom and Nyoko, trying to rest after yesterday's training, and the next there're people I've never even _seen_ before bursting through the windows to kill me!"

"The council has ordered your death."

"What the hell for?!"

"They . . . There have been murders in the village and they think . . . you are responsible for them."

Naruto bared his teeth, but that was all. "Of course," he hissed, eyes distant. "I should've thought of that sooner. They can't find the answer, so they blame it on the fox to save their own asses from the village. Keep their positions, get rid of the fox . . . two birds with one stone. Not that it'll do them any good when the murders continue--they don't have enough of a conscience to care about killing innocent people."

Arashi frowned. ". . . Blame it on . . . the fox?"

Naruto sneered, gaze still not quite focused on him, but rather right _through_ him. "_Me_. _I'm_ the fox."

". . . Naruto, it's just a nickname---"

"To _you_. To _you_ it's just a nickname and it's the first time I've ever _not_ minded being called a fox." He pointed behind himself, keeping his wild eyes on his father. "But to them? To them I'm that _thing_ that murdered their families, that destroyed their homes, that killed the man who was possibly the most powerful ninja ever! I _killed_ their Hokage and they want me to _die_ for it!"

He shook his head and continued bitterly, "Hero . . . _Fuck_ being a hero! You should have killed me as soon as the sealing was complete! Then I wouldn't have ever been there, I wouldn't be _here_, and for seventeen years I wouldn't have had to put up with those . . . those _animals_ who dare call themselves human!"

Arashi tried to avoid being too concerned as Naruto smacked himself in the head in an almost self-admonishing way; so much emotion would only cause that much more trouble in the end. _Murdered families? Destroyed homes? Killed the Hokage? A hero? He's said that before . . . But __**seventeen**__ years? What does he mean? He's not nearly that old!_ "_What_ sealing, Naruto?"

"Never mind," Naruto spat, anger renewed as he stormed forward. "I'm supposed to die, right? Well, might as well get it over with!" He stopped well within arm's reach and lifted his head, turning it to his right to expose his left carotid and vertebral arteries and the internal and external jugular veins on that same side. "Go ahead!" he offered, cobalt eyes glittering and hard. "Put me out of the council's misery!"

Arashi stared, shaken. _This . . . isn't my son, is it? If he is, why is he behaving like this? It's like he's been persecuted for years, now he's been cornered, and the pressure just made him . . . snap._

He finally lost the battle. Letting his kunai fall, he pulled his child close against him fiercely. Naruto struggled, but he only held tighter and the younger blond eventually went rigid in his embrace. Several minutes passed, until at last Naruto gripped the back of his vest and nuzzled nearer, giving in to noises of either fright, sadness, exhaustion, or some combination thereof.

_Why are they doing this to him? He's just a __**boy**!_

"It's . . . still pretty early," he said gently, as a new possibility entered his head. "If you go now and don't stop, it should only take you two and a half days to reach Wind Country."

Naruto looked up blankly. ". . . A nukenin . . .?"

"If you want, you might be able to go to the Kazekage. It's possible he'd take you in for a while--I have no doubt Gaara would try to get at least that for you--and since you're so skilled he might be willing to protect you from oinin." Arashi ran the length of his thumb along his son's bare forehead, where the metal plate bearing Konoha's spiraled leaf would have been otherwise. "You could . . . become . . . a Sand-nin."

His voice caught there, unwilling to make it a command or to take it back. According to his mother, his paternal grandfather had been a Sand-nin under the Second Kazekage, who was, to put it simply, unkind. In disagreement with the Kazekage's methods but unable to escape them himself, he sent his wife and son--Arashi's father--into Fire Country to protect them. They settled in a small village near the center of the country and waited, but he never joined them. As a result of that and operating under the assumption that his father may have been killed by the Second Kazekage, Arashi's father had become a Leaf-nin specializing in wind- and sand-based jutsu. He had never wanted to return to Suna and sworn that none of his line ever would, and there Arashi was telling his own son to go there for, ironically, safety.

Naruto gazed up at him and murmured childishly, "But Dad, I . . . I'm a Leaf-nin. I don't want to be a Sand-nin. And . . ." He sighed heavily and leaned a bit harder against Arashi. "I'm tired of running from their past."

"Naruto, if you stay . . ."

"I know. I . . . understand. It's okay." He drew away and crouched to retrieve the fallen kunai. He examined it contemplatively--longer than he really needed to if he was merely inspecting it--then held it up questioningly. "I don't have my own with me, so may I borrow this one?"

Arashi wanted desperately to say no, but all he did was nod weakly. _He's not serious. He can't be. He's a __**child**!_

"Thanks. This'll be way cleaner than a rock or a stick." He grinned faintly. "Live fast, die young, leave a cute corpse, ne?"

Arashi swallowed, convinced he was going to be sick. _Am I really just going to __**stand**__ here and let him kill himself? __I__ don't deserve this!_ **He** doesn't deserve this!

Naruto touched his arm tentatively and turned aged blue eyes on him. "Dad, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I guess . . . I guess I should have been honest from the start. Maybe none of this would have happened then."

Arashi blinked. ". . . Honest . . .?" _Naruto, why are you so strong? Why is this okay with you? Why aren't you trying to __**escape**__ death instead of __**embrace**__ it? Are you giving up or . . .?_

The smaller blond looked into the trees, back toward Konoha, and sighed. "I wish I could explain, but I've squandered my time and now I've run out of it. Kyuubi knows; I told him--_her_--everything. Please don't be angry with her--I asked her not to tell. And please take care of Mom and Nyoko. They won't understand; especially not Mom. Tell them I love them and that I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Arashi nodded, not daring to open his mouth for fear that he would start crying or worse, beg Naruto to not do it and make it that much harder for both of them. _Why can't I stop him? Move . . . Speak . . . __**Anything**__! What's wrong with me?! This **isn't** okay! I don't want him to die!_

His body, though, would not move.

"And . . ."--Naruto reached up to hug him and kiss his cheek--"I'm sorry, Dad. I wish I could go back and make everything all right again, but they wouldn't believe me now. I'm sorry. I . . . I love you."

Arashi returned the embrace, rendering Naruto breathless with the strength he put into it, and pressed swift kisses to the top of the younger blond's head. "Naruto . . ." _Don't do this. Don't do this!_ _**Please**!_

"It'll be okay, Dad," he promised, smiling warmly. "It will, one day. It's better for you and Mom and Nyoko if I do this. They'll leave you alone--the clerics, the council . . . All of them will, after this. Don't forget to tell the twins about me."

_How could you possibly know that? That it'll all be better without you? You're wrong! So wrong! Why are you being so selfish? Let me make my own decisions about what's best for me!_ Arashi watched him head out of the clearing before that last thought brought him to his senses enough to call after his firstborn, "Where are you going?" _Please . . . Please . . . don't you leave me, too . . . Not you too . . . I don't want to be alone again!_

"Over here."

He observed Naruto's absent twirl of the kunai, gaze distant, mouth moving slightly and forming only half-decipherable words. " By . . . yourself?" he asked.

Naruto paused in his not-conversation and blinked. "How else?"

_Why would you ever want to do that? _He found the strength to say, "I won't let you do this. Especially not alone." _Even if you're leaving me behind._ The sound of the other Leaf-nin catching up to them--coming in from all sides--at last reached him. There was no more time; he would never be able to clear a path through them and killing them was out of the question. Arashi dropped his head mournfully. _He insisted on it and now he's going to get his way because I can't bear to watch them slaughter him._ "Give me that." Naruto drew back hesitantly, so Arashi grabbed for him and swung him around as he settled down at the base of a nearby tree, the smaller blond seated on the ground between his legs. "No one . . . No one should have to . . . die alone. Not even our worst enemies."

"Dad, you shouldn't have to see---"

"And _you_ shouldn't have to _do_ this."

Arashi deftly reclaimed the kunai, dazed. _Is it possible that I'm this weak? That I'm going to let this happen? That __**he**__ is going to let this happen? There must be something I can do, something I've overlooked . . . A loophole, a thicket to hide in . . ._

Naruto relaxed against him, tilting his head back and once more exposing the left side of his neck. He opened his eyes and Arashi saw resolve swirling powerfully in them. Resolve . . . and forgiveness. Love. "I don't care what I have to do as long as you and Mom and Nyoko will be safe. You may not believe me when I say this, but you really are doing all of us a favor. This _will_ fix everything."

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

Orochimaru has changed Baby!Naruto's diaper in parallelverse. Isn't that sweet(ly disturbing)?

---

Gaspity gasp gasp! Naruto's a _murderer_?! Never thought he had it in him . . .

---

So, how's my über-cliché assisted suicide coming along? I _swear_ there's a reason for all of it--Arashi's inability to take control, Naruto's apparently budding cutter urges (though even in canon Naruto is suicidal, just in a noble way)--if you can bear with me a little longer.

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	40. Onus

**Author's Notes:** Chapter forty! Getting this out right before another thunderstorm hits (eep!). More of the clichéness, but only a little bit. If you can survive this, it should be it (at least, I can't think of other instances).

Alas, you people don't give Naruto _or_ Kyuubi enough credit--especially not Naruto (he's really a lot smarter--or probably more reckless--than some have been thinking). Since I won't get to them until next chapter, I'll just advise you to wait until then to decide whether or not Naruto's a wangsty toddler trying to kill his innocent parallel self.

Big shout-out to **White Evergreen** and **sashlea** for their awesome deductive reasoning. They called it! And another unrelated shout-out to **DemonEyesBob**, who has given me an idea as to how I might be able to toss out this assisted-suicide drivel if/when I rewrite. Everybody say thank you!

**Wolfkun**: I don't know if I'd call the ending _happy_, but it's not full of weeping women, either. Yes, _many_ loose threads that have yet to be tied up, so don't go far! ;) And you will definitely get your wish with the Kyuubis.

**Ellipse**, because the actual ellipse doesn't survive the site's automatic editing: I am _sure_ there are other fics out there where Orochimaru is a truly good person who cares for others, but hell if I know where to find them. :D As for Naruto knowing something, it's important to keep in mind what Kyuubi said in chapter thirty-seven: _Without you, your body cannot survive. Without this body, **you** cannot survive._ Naruto is definitely playing with fire. A big, fox-shaped fire.

**unknown**: Haku with a servant!Zabuza? That's something I didn't consider . . .

**Berserk**: Obviously, you didn't find any 'redeeming qualities' because you can't pay attention in the first place. I have lost count of the number of times I have said that _Door Number Two_ is **_NOT an action fic_**. It is a **_drama_**, and drama is _very_ different from action. As for the village being 'pussified', you are trying to apply canonverse to parallelverse when I have already pointed out that the hidden villages are actually _getting along_, which means they're _not_ at each other's throats all the time, which means they are less experienced in shinobi-versus-shinobi battle and yes, they are _weaker_ as a result. It's hard to get stronger when you're only killing fat, corrupt businessmen on a regular basis. As for Naruto not telling his family, you must be kidding. Naruto would be _locked in a madhouse_ if he said he came from some other universe and he would _never_ have the opportunity to get back. And, certainly, the million-dollar point of the evening: Of _course_ the characters don't resemble their canon counterparts--they're _not supposed to_. That's why it's a fic based around an **_alternate universe_**. If you're going to complain about my work, at least have the decency to make sense while doing it.

**DemonEyesBob**: Well, keep in mind that the council in place is not the council in canonverse--Arashi fired them for kidnapping Naruto just to get him to fight. So this council would be one Arashi himself appointed. You may have a point about Hotaru, I'll have to think about that. If nothing else, it would make for a good . . . _Hey_, that _is_ a good idea! Thanks! Well, _technically_ there was foreshadowing in chapter thirty-six. It's just that nobody noticed it.

**sashlea**: No one has asked because no one has thought to yet. But they will, and Arashi will make sure they regret not doing so before.

**Voodoo-Chilly**: I'm glad you're enjoying _DNT_! I did intend for the characters to be unlike themselves but still within reason, so I'm glad it's not too over-the-top. As for my long-windedness, I apologize--that is my mother's fault (I got it from her). I'm trying to keep that short-coming to a minimum, though, so if you see anyplace that seems to be particularly drawn-out, feel free to point out where in the future. The thought is definitely a big part of it. XD

**catc10**: Good thing you didn't or I wouldn't have known it was you. ;) Enjoy!

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 3,594

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 8/9/07

**Disclaimer:** No.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Forty - Onus

* * *

Arashi snorted, feeling hysteria creep up on him again, and before he could think about what he was doing he had swiftly sliced a thin line across the left side of Naruto's tender throat--it was one of the fastest and most painless ways to die. With the windpipe left intact, breathing was not a constant battle; without blood the body weakened, consciousness faded into sleep, and just that quickly one was dead. Struggling and fear were generally both minimal since the encroaching death felt only like a deep fatigue and was not obvious except to the outside observer.

He felt fresh warm blood run down over his hand. _Oh dear god, what have I done?_ He belatedly moved to stem the flow and the kunai fell to the earth, forgotten. Naruto clung tightly to his arm for support, draped limply over his leg, and closed his eyes. In moments the boy's breathing slowed and he began to shift and cough in an attempt to draw in more air in an effort to compensate for the lack of oxygen in what was left of his bloodstream. That progressed into little blind, jerky motions as he fought to remain conscious. The loss of that awareness was, understandably, especially alarming to ninja, who were not used to the lack of self-control.

Arashi held him tighter so he did not hurt himself. _Oh god, oh god . . . What have I **done**?_ "Shh," he managed to soothe gently, stroking his son's spiked locks. "It's all right. You're all right." His throat tightened at that well-intended but blatant lie and he choked out, "It'll be over soon." _Why am I letting this happen?! **Why**?! Why can't I make this **stop**?! Was there nothing I could do?! Blood . . . Gods, so much **blood** . . ._

Within a minute, Naruto was dead.

_DON'T LEAVE ME!_

Less than three minutes after that the clearing was full of silent ninja, some of them leaning around others to be witness to the scene. None of them were willing to approach him, so it fell to Kakashi to do so when the jounin arrived.

. . . _That's unusual, that they don't want to get close to me,_ Arashi thought vaguely, mind drifting into pleasant blankness. _I must be a sight . . ._

". . . Sensei?"

He continued to gaze vacantly at Naruto's profile. "Leave me alone," he whispered. _Let me hurt in peace._

Kakashi reached out toward either him or Naruto. Whichever it was, Arashi was not the slightest bit interested in either of them being in contact with anyone else. In the blink of an eye he had snatched up his blood-streaked kunai and pressed it firmly against his student's throat. Impatiently, he grated, "Leave me _alone_, Kakashi."

"Sensei . . ."

He increased his pressure on the angular blade and hissed, "I just murdered an innocent child. I just murdered _my only son_. If I can do that, I can do _anything_." _I could definitely kill you--being my student won't protect you anymore._ He levelled weary cobalt eyes on the other. "_Leave me alone_."

Kakashi looked at him, then lowered his eyes and backed away obediently. "Sir."

He left the clearing and the other ninja, taking it as a hint, saluted and left as well. Arashi, bitterly satisfied at their willingness to leave him without even a guard, let his head rest against the tree behind him and closed his eyes. _I wish this would all go away . . ._

An indeterminate amount of time passed. Darkness closed in on the clearing and Arashi finally opened his eyes as he shivered in the growing cold. _Dear gods, what a nightmare._ Dazed, he looked down at Naruto in the growing gloom, who was sprawled across his lap. _. . . What happened?_ He struggled to remember what they had been doing, but his mind remained stubbornly blank. _There's some blood . . . I can't see well in this light. I'm sure he just moved, though, so it can't be anything serious._ He picked up his son's cold body--_I need to get some soup in him and put him to bed so he doesn't get sick._--to carry it home. _Good gods, I hurt all over. Were we sparring earlier? That makes sense--I must have hit my head on that tree . . ._

Ninja of all ages and ranks were milling about on the grounds of the compound, waiting for _something_, but he barely noticed them. Hotaru burst from the house and ran out to him, tears streaking her face.

"_YOU_!" she screamed hysterically. "_How could you, you heartless bastard_?! _I thought you were different, but you're JUST LIKE HIM_!"

_What's she so upset about?_ "Hotaru, shh," he urged, shifting his gaze to his firstborn's limp form. "Don't wake him."

Baffled by such an odd response, she was quiet for an instant. Kakashi leaned in then, taking advantage of her confusion, and touched her shoulder to get her attention. "Onee-sama, please don't. He's in shock . . . He won't understand."

_In shock? Please. I feel fine--it's only a little blood._

It was hard to say how long he would have been allowed to go on in his delusion. Perhaps forever, had he not been struck harshly across the face. Startled, he blinked numbly up at the one who had hit him.

"Kid," Jiraiya said very, very quietly, "he's not asleep. He's dead."

_. . . Wha . . .?_

Shaken from his haze of confusion, Arashi finally looked, _really_ looked, at his son. He took in the so-pale and cold skin, the limp body, and the blood--the _blood_--that was suddenly all over both of them once again; far more than he had thought he had seen. He remembered flicking the kunai's tip through thin skin with laughable ease, the liquid life running between his fingers and making them stick together as it dried, the sickening metallic scent and the deep but bright hue of arterial blood.

_And Naruto . . ._

He would have been so lucky, were it a mere bad dream.

_. . . What . . . have I . . .?_

It was, without a doubt, his worst nightmare.

_And I brought it right to myself! To **him**!_

His knees buckled sharply beneath him and threw him without grace to the hard earth, no longer willing to support his weight. He hugged his dead child's stiffening body tight against his own, ran his fingers through soft golden locks, and wept, rocking back and forth furiously in an unconscious effort to do _something_ other than sit there. He howled, helpless and heartbroken, while tears of agony ran cold paths over his cheeks, and if any of the people in attendance at that moment thought he was weak for showing so much emotion, they kept it to themselves.

The pain burned. Not like fire, but like the cold prickle of ice shards. It was what grief felt like, because death was what felt like fire--or so he had heard. The ice of grief smothered the fire of death and numbed the burns from it, while at the same time inflicting burns of its own. It had never been easy for him to overcome that hurt, because he loved his friends and family so deeply and completely, but he had managed it well enough before. Suddenly, though, it was piercing that much farther into the wounds of his anguished heart, which ached even more as the ice hardened it.

_Mother,_ he wailed silently, _it hurts! It hurts so much . . ._

Despite that pain, he dared not ask for her help.

He had no right to--he had killed his own son.

_What greater sin is there?_

When he had exhausted himself for the time being, he called for Kakashi. ". . . In my office," he murmured hoarsely, his expression closed off, "in the middle right drawer of my desk, is a list. The first name is written in pencil. I want you to either erase it or get a brush and cross it out. Then bring the list to me."

"Yes sir."

Kakashi left and Rin knelt in his place. "Sensei, the council---" He shot her a glassy-eyed glare and she flinched, but pushed on. "The council wants to be sure he's . . . gone."

"And how do they propose to get that information?" he bit out angrily, closing his eyes and shaking his head fiercely to keep fresh tears at bay. "Do they want me to dump his body on their table? Cut his head off? Slice him up into little---"

"_Sensei_!" Rin snapped, growing trite when she realized he was crying again. "Sensei, all they want is a medical examination."

He hunched his shoulders as if to defend his dead offspring from some kind of unseen attack. ". . . Where do you want to do it?"

"Anywhere you're comfortable," she told him. "You can hold him if you want."

So she examined Naruto right there, then left as well to report. Arashi got shakily to his feet and staggered into the house to escape the stares that seemed to be everywhere. _I can't take it anymore._

Hitomi stood nervously in the foyer, Nyoko in her arms, waiting for them. When she saw Naruto she gasped, but Nyoko, with normal childish innocence, reached out and patted her brother's cheek. When Naruto did not respond, she asked, "Is Nii-chan sleeping?"

He choked back new tears. _Where are they all coming from?_ "Yes. He's asleep."

"When does he wake up?"

He shook his head and whispered, ". . . Never. He's never going to wake up again."

Nyoko tilted her head. "How long is never?"

"Never is . . . Never is forever."

While Nyoko made the equation work, he stepped past Hitomi and rushed to Naruto's bedroom. He locked himself inside and slumped into the darkest corner, cradling his son's body with all his strength, his mind loaded with thoughts that did not seem interested in sorting themselves out. He did not sleep, but he did not notice when the sun rose or when the door to the bedroom was unlocked, either.

"Sensei?"

His eyes flickered _almost_ as far as his student, but returned to Naruto as if afraid the body would vanish. _Leave me alone . . ._

"Sensei, the funeral is in two days. Na . . . He needs to be cleaned up."

With the second try, his eyes made it all the way to his solemn-faced student.

Obito. Obito would understand, a little. His older sister had just been killed a few weeks earlier during a mission. _You've seemed happy enough, as long as no one mentions her. Can you really accept her absence that easily or are you pretending? How do you smile again, after such death? Do you ever really, or is it just a façade you show to others so they don't worry?_

". . . Sensei?"

_Can you be my teacher for a while and show me how? I think I've forgotten._

Someone was speaking to Obito. He would not have known--he could not hear any of it--if Obito had not turned and looked up at the other person. Obito shook his head and spoke in turn and the person who had also been there left. Quietly and tentatively, Obito snuggled against his teacher's side and rested his head on Arashi's flank; he did not say a word for hours. Arashi had never heard him be silent for more than a minute at a time, unless he was eating or sleeping. It was new and strange, but Arashi found it comforting. He did not want to talk, really, but it was all right that someone was _there_.

_But I'm still alone._

". . . Hotaru's angry with me."

Obito settled a little more weight on him. "Onee-sama doesn't know what to do, either," he reported gently. "She doesn't understand, and there's nothing anyone could have told her that would have prepared her for this, whether it was him or you."

"There must have been something . . ." _There **must** have been . . ._

"Maybe," Obito conceded, "but how would you have known it if you had found it?"

"I . . . I tried to send him . . . to Suna, but . . . he wouldn't go." Arashi did not know if he should have been proud of his son's patriotism or upset that said patriotism had blinded him so badly. " He wanted to be a Leaf-nin."

"That was his choice."

"The wrong choice." _So wrong . . ._

"You don't know that. What if he had gone to Suna? He never would have been allowed to set foot in Fire Country again, let alone Konoha. And if he became a Sand-nin? What if he was ordered to assassinate you or Onee-sama? He wouldn't have been able to do it, and then Suna would have punished him."

" It's wrong because Konoha hated him and wanted him to die."

"Whether or not that's true, it was still his choice. Even if you think it's a wasted death, he didn't." Obito plucked absently at his uniform. "I would want to die for Konoha. The only _better_ death I can think of is dying to save someone I care about. A family member or a teammate."

_I couldn't even do that and yet he . . . still so young . . . was able to. _". . . Stop talking to me."

They lapsed into another hours-long silence. Obito eventually fell asleep on his hip, the frame of the younger man's goggles digging hard into the elder's hip joint, and Arashi cradled his dead baby's body as he stared vacantly at the opposite wall.

When Obito awakened, he said, "Sensei, the funeral."

_So what?_ "What about it?"

"It's two days from now. He needs to be cleaned up."

He did not have to speak to share what he thought of that.

"Then do you want me to do it? Or at least help?"

". . . Go away . . ."

Obito sighed and levered himself up. "Okay. You know how to find me."

_I do?_

Then Obito was gone.

He stared at the wall for a while longer until it was dark out and eventually discovered that he had enough motor control to get to his feet and walk. When he stepped into the bathroom, he saw that Naruto's formal wear had been freshly cleaned and pressed and was waiting for its final use on the hook on the bathroom's closet door. It looked so small hanging there, emphasizing its wearer's age accusingly, and he turned away. He would have liked to have removed Naruto's clothes without causing them harm, but the blood had soaked, dried, and stiffened the fabric and gummed up the zippers. For fear of hurting an otherwise intact corpse--a rare thing among ninja--he simply cut the clothes off entirely.

_It's not as if they'll be needed again._

_No,_ a voice in his mind agreed, _never again._

He let the tub fill while he stripped his own clothes off, then sank into the hot water. With slow motions and a wet cloth, he brushed the flaking blood off of Naruto's body, which refused to warm up.

_Why did you leave me?_ he wondered distantly as he stroked the child's pale face with the cloth._ Why? What did I do wrong? Was being with me so awful that you had to get away by any means necessary? I know I wasn't the best father, but I thought . . . I thought things were getting better, not worse._

He watched his hand, as though he was not controlling it, move to dip the cloth in the water and suddenly realized that there was no water--it was all blood. He cried out in alarm and leaped onto the tile wall, clinging to it with his chakra instinctively, and stared down in horror. Naruto's empty blue eyes glared reproachfully at him from the tub of blood.

_Why did **he** leave_ _**you**?_ the voice spat scathingly. _You're his father--it's **your** duty to protect **him**! If he **left** you it's only because you were too much of a failure to protect him! **That's** what you did wrong! He would have stayed if you had done a better job as a father! **You** were the one who killed him! It was **your** failure that made him this way!_

He started to bring his hand to his mouth to help stay the bile rising in his throat, but his arm and hand were dripping thick blood. He squeezed his eyes shut and twisted to the side, preparing for a lunge in the direction of the toilet, but a chill breeze washed around the heavy beige curtain over the window and ran across his skin. Goosebumps developed and he shivered.

_Why **am** I blaming him? **I'm** the one who was too weak! **I** killed him . . ._

_That's precisely it. Good that you know that now._

He opened his eyes slowly. The blood was gone, replaced by the water, and Naruto's stare was somehow less angry. He knew what it meant--had suffered such attacks of guilt before--but did not apply the preventive knowledge as he again slid into the water slowly. It did not concern him.

_I deserve this. I deserve to have what I can't protect taken from me. Him, this village, and probably Hotaru and Nyoko, eventually. What isn't closely protected will be stolen in the end and I . . . I clearly don't have the strength to protect anymore._

_Yes, yes,_ the voice assured him, as if proud he had figured it out, _you are weak and you are a fool. Neither of those stand a chance against **actual** talent. Giving up while you're still alive is a good plan. Maybe you'll live for a few years before someone finds you and kills you off._

He finished bathing Naruto, taking care to not press too hard on any of the cut portion of his throat, which had scabbed over delicately. He climbed out of the tub and pulled the drain plug, then used one towel to dry Naruto's body and another to soak up the water in his hair. While the limp blond locks dried, he figured he might as well take a shower for himself.

_Yes, that's exactly right,_ the voice in his head scoffed. _Wash it off. Just wash it **all** away, like it never happened. Nobody else will know, but **you** will never forget. It'll be perfect that way, if no one knows but you can never forgive yourself. Then no one can tell you to 'stop', that 'it wasn't your fault'. Don't you just **hate** it when they tell you that? As if they know anything about you or what happened?_

_Yes. I hate it._

_As well you should, _the voice confirmed, apparently pacified by his immediate agreement._ They have no right to tell you what to regret and what to accept. It's **your** prerogative to decide what you regret for eternity and what you move on from; how deeply your sorrow and self-loathing run when you're too weak to do everything you should have been able to, whether or not you bathe in the blood of your innocent victims._

He started to rub the cloth over his skin, but it was only adding to the blood already on his hands and arms. He gasped and jerked his head up to look at the showerhead. Hot blood rained down on his face mockingly.

_Not again!_

_'Not again'? You selfish fool! You should **suffer** for this for the rest of your pathetic **life**! This is what your cowardice has cost you! Cost **him**! You **killed** him and you **deserve** to see his blood on your hands forever! You **deserve** to spend the rest of your miserable life wondering how you could have fixed it and saved him! **You** are the one who brought him into this world, so it was **your job** to protect him! He **wanted** you to save him and you **let him die**! He was just a child and _you _**killed him**!_

_I know that! I know it!_

_Then why aren't you taking responsibility for it?!_ the voice snapped, furious. _Why are you trying to run away from it?! Are you running away from protecting him even now?! Trying to **deny** him?! Are you going to take care of him or are you going to take revenge for him 'leaving' you?!_

_No! It's **my** fault! It was **always** my fault! He didn't deserve it!_

He pressed his eyes shut fiercely and then opened them. The blood was gone once more. He swiftly concluded his shower and dried himself cursorily, slid into an extra robe in the closet, and returned to Naruto. He carefully dressed the body in the formal wear and noted vaguely that Hotaru had finally, _finally_ gotten it tailored. He then carried Naruto quietly back to the bedroom, laid him on the bed, and applied the make-up over the little whiskers on his cheeks--which looked a little darker and thicker than Arashi remembered--for uniformity and normalcy more than because it mattered any longer.

He then curled up next to his son. _I deserve this. It's all my fault . . ._

That night, even though he did not go to sleep, he dreamed he was drowning in blood.

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

I am going to be totally honest. Because it's not important to the overall plot, I did minimal research for this concept (and it was hard to find anyway); I don't actually know if cutting the arteries/veins but not the windpipe will actually do or be like that (especially the no-struggling part). It's _only_ a deduction I've made from the various things I've seen and read (I've certainly never had my throat cut). If nothing else, let's just say it's that way because Arashi _wanted_ it to be that way--he didn't want Naruto to suffer, so he made something up to make himself feel better.

---

Arashi's inability to remember killing Naruto is actually possible and not just something I made up to rip his mind to shreds. It's a form of psychogenic amnesia--which is amnesia caused by a non-physical trauma (physical trauma causes organic amnesia)--and in this case would specifically fall under the subheading of "Dissociative amnesia". Dissociative amnesia is caused by an event so damaging to the victim's psyche that the victim's self-defense mechanisms kick in and make the event impossible to consciously recall. It _is_ stored in the victim's long-term memory, though, so future recollection of the event--in partial or complete detail--is possible.

---

Arashi's mind doesn't like him very much, does it?

---

And hey, it's been a week--who saw Yondaime-sama at the end of Shippuuden episode twenty-two? He's pretty photogenic, I think.

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	41. Resurrection

**Author's Notes:** Chapter forty-one! As of 2:45 a.m. August 11, 2007, this chapter--in what is either an auspiciously or suspiciously appropriate way, depending on one's viewpoint--is dedicated to L.B. (Little Bump), the greatest baby mole slayer this side of the Appalachians. You did good, kid, and I hope They'll give you a rock or something by the Gates to sit on so you can watch all the comings and goings there just the way you did here. Catch you on the flip side, sweetie.

Well, I have to admit, I'm at a total loss right now. A lot of people seem to think that Arashi is out of character, under the assumption that he was ever in character in the first place (and he was at first, but it's been ages since that held true), and that he has already had to make the choice between being a father and being the Hokage at the exact same time. Half of you have figured out at least part of what's going on (who is truly responsible for the murders, specifically), some of you (also) found my hints regarding Naruto's condition in the last chapter, and most of the rest of you think Naruto's only doing this just to go back to canonverse even though Kyuubi has already said in chapter thirty-seven: _Without you, your body cannot survive. Without this body, **you** cannot survive._ That means that if Naruto dies in parallelverse he **_will_** die in canonverse as well, so that line of reasoning is completely inaccurate and has no supporting evidence.

Overall, between those who have figured (some of) it out and those who apparently haven't, the keel is even enough that I have to assume I'm balancing things just right.

Another shout-out to **Cyber-Porygon** and **enthor** for understanding part of the reason behind Arashi's decision to assist in killing Naruto, and a very special shout-out to **ShinobiCyrus** for actually _chastising_ me for, apparently, making it too easy to guess Naruto's true condition. After just about everyone else was so convinced that Naruto had died merely to return to canonverse--despite the fact that I've already covered how impossible it is--that was incredibly refreshing.

**flit**: Hm. Unfortunately, I have nothing to say to that--though I suppose I could give myself a pat on the back for possessing some kind of heretofore unknown writing genius if I can wrangle that kind of response out of someone who technically has no idea what's going on--unless you've at least seen a few episodes of the anime. Otherwise, I don't know why you'd be reading _any_ fic based on _Naruto_ (not that it matters, really--welcome to the fandom!).

**monkeyd8892 aka Matthew**: That's true. And if I remember correctly, there were also fourteen firefighters who were trapped in a stairway when the building collapsed and they all survived with only minor injuries (I think).

**Recompense**: I do not deny that some of the writing (particularly physical character descriptions) need some more attention, the pacing was actually done purposefully after someone noted (before I began posting here) that my fics seemed to move very quickly--I wanted to see if I could write a "slow" fic. So that it's slow is actually good, from my perspective. I'm very glad you're enjoying it anyway, though. :) Arashi will find out about canon!Naruto . . . sometime in the chapter fifties. He'll find out about canon!Kyuubi much sooner, however.

**Allie** (when you get this far): I'm glad you're enjoying and appreciate the mention. Others have made note of it, and I've tried to phase it out since then. Let me know if I've done better, yes?

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 3,865

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 8/18/07

**Disclaimer:** No.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Forty-One - Resurrection

* * *

". . . Arashi?"

He blinked slowly and shifted his gaze to his visitor. _Hotaru . . . She's actually talking to me?_

Tears shimmered in her golden-brown eyes. "Arashi, please . . . please eat something."

_What for? It's my fault._

"Please, Arashi?" she whispered. "Please . . . I can't bury you both."

_I'm not worth saving. Look at what I've done . . ._

_You_ _**better**__ go,_ The Voice snarled. _He __**told**__ you to take care of them. You can't be so weak that you refuse to protect a woman and a child for your own selfishness, can you?_

Another slow blink. ". . . What about him . . .?"

"He'll be all right for a while," she assured him frantically, encouraged by the fact that he was speaking to her. "Please, Arashi, _please_!"

"Someone will see . . ."

_Ha!_ The Voice scoffed. _There's nothing to see! Nothing to hide! Everyone already __**knows**__ what you've done!_

Hotaru hurried to check that the window was locked and then pulled the heavy drapes over it. "There. And we can lock the door. Is that good enough?"

Arashi sluggishly unwrapped himself from Naruto's body and rolled out of the bed. Hotaru met him there with a blanket she folded around his shoulders. She then led him from the room and, true to her word, locked the door behind them. They meandered deliberately along the halls, her subtly leading the way.

". . . Don't you hate me?" he asked. _She must . . ._

Hotaru looked at him, alarmed. "Arashi, I . . . I don't understand what happened." She held back a sob. "Kakashi tried to explain it to me, but it doesn't make sense. Except for those four days, we knew where Naruto was and who he was with during every other incident. Some of them even happened while he was hiding from the clerics!" She curled her hands around his arm the best she could with the blanket in the way and leaned her head against his shoulder. "With so few pictures compared to that many murders, how can they say that he was the one responsible? What if he just stumbled upon the scene after the fact and was too scared to say anything to us? He was only twelve . . ."

Arashi never had the chance to respond, because when he stepped in the dining room he was greeted with a bright, "Hi, Daddy!"

He stared in horror at Nyoko, who was reaching for him. _No! If I get close to her . . .!_

_That's right,_ The Voice acknowledged. _If you get too near her she'll die just like he did. You better keep your distance._

Arashi reeled back at the images that flooded his mind--Nyoko dying in his arms just like Naruto had, her energetic little body limp and lifeless and soaked through with her spilled innocent's blood--and whirled away. Unaware of Hotaru's questions, he started to run down the hall, but caught his foot in the blanket and went down face-first. He lay there, hurt and gasping in his fright, as Hotaru knelt beside him.

"Arashi?!"

It was the perfect angle to be reminded that she was _very_ pregnant. She was _so_ pregnant that Orochimaru had, in fact, _hurried_ to retrieve Tsunade to perform the delivery. Though it was usually the opposite, the stress of everything had probably delayed labor.

_Hurry!_ The Voice cackled. _Run away! Run forever!_

He scrambled to his feet and darted off down the hall as the blanket puddled where he had been, barely managing to skid around the corner without falling over. He ran all the way back to Naruto's room, nearly broke the key off in the lock in his attempt to open it, locked himself inside, and again curled around the stiff body lying on the perfectly-made bed.

_He's the only one it's safe for you to be around,_ The Voice informed him, _because you've already killed him. You can't hurt __**him**__ anymore._

Shuddering at the close call, he drifted into another daze. When he was next bothered, the one at the door was Tsunade. "It's time, Arashi."

_. . . Wha . . .? Time? Already?_

He shook his head. "No . . ."

"Why not?" she demanded.

"Nyoko . . . Hotaru . . . I can't protect them. If I get too close they'll die."

Tsunade looked at him, then moved to the edge of the bed and sat down. "Arashi," she said quietly, "this _has_ to be done. If you promise that you'll stand beside Hotaru and Nyoko, I promise that whatever happens, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and I will protect them."

He looked at her. Tsunade was gentle but powerful, and she never gambled with lives. Or even money, for that matter. He could trust her to succeed where he had failed. ". . . Okay."

"Good." She leaned over Naruto and examined him, then frowned. "He died three days ago, right?"

Arashi coiled closer to Naruto and nodded. "Why?"

She sat back. "His rate of decay . . ."

"What about it?"

"It's . . ." Contemplative, she looked at him as though intending to ask something. Then she shook her head. "Never mind. It's too late to bring it up, and in your condition you . . ." She got to her feet and walked out of the room, then leaned back in and said, "Let's go. Hotaru has your clothes."

He briefly--only briefly--traded Naruto for his funerary wear, then he carried his firstborn's body to the pyre that was waiting in front of the manor and put him carefully on the wooden bed. With that done, he placed over Naruto's body both of his overcoats--one clean, the other a sickly red-brown with dried blood--before moving to join Hotaru, who looked at him, confused.

"Arashi, what are you doing? Why are you . . .?"

"Because," he informed her solemnly, his eyes focused on his son, "I am going to burn with him."

_I can't do it--not literally--because I made a promise to him, but I can do it this way. I'm not going to be Hokage for much longer as it is--no big loss._

Sarutobi was the one who performed the ceremony. Arashi could not bear to.

_I didn't know it was possible for a person to cry this much._

Hotaru began to sob openly as the pyre was lit. Flames licked around the edges and rose to an impressive height to obscure most of the process of the body blistering and charring. Arashi gazed through the wood and flames at Naruto's body, intent on staying there as long as it took to make sure that he learned his lesson--that he remembered how helpless he truly was and what it resulted in at the end. He was staring so hard that he thought he saw Naruto's hand twitch and his chest rise.

_It's my imagination_, he reminded himself. _A trick of the fire's motion._

_You know,_ The Voice told him with a hateful sneer, _I must have forgotten to mention this, but you know how, when you were bathing him, you were so careful of his neck because there was a scab there?_ The Voice chuckled darkly. _Don't you remember from your lessons? Dead people don't scab._

Without a further thought for safety or even another thought at all, Arashi lunged at the pyre, one arm outstretched toward his firstborn even as Hotaru screamed and grabbed him around the waist to pull him back.

"_NARUTO_!"

* * *

_I can't __**believe**__ you!_ Kyuubi raged, so violently that the words were barely comprehensible to anyone within earshot. _You ignorant little fuck, how __**dare**__ you do this to me?! I'd __**kill**__ you if you weren't already dead! __**FUCK**__! I should just **let** you die and watch you burn in the darkest depths of the __hell reserved for suicide cases__, you pathetic, needy . . ._ He could not seem to come up with a suitable curse, so after a moment he spat with utter loathing,_ . . . **troglodyte**!_

Naruto tried to blink, but could not open his eyes. _. . . What happened?_

_You stupid, __**stupid**__ boy! You __**killed**__ us! You had one of your angsty little lapses of sanity where you were trying to be __**noble**__ and got all of us __**killed**! __**MORON**!_

He frowned._ . . . I don't remember that._

_That won't save you, dumbshit!_

Slowly, Naruto's mind cleared and he remembered his intentions. In hindsight, it had not been one of his better ideas, but at the time it had been the best he could think of. He never had been that great with strategy, relying on his sheer power and unpredictability to save his ass in various instances. While he could understand Kyuubi's desire for self-preservation, he did not see the issue. _Can't you just heal it?_

Kyuubi howled in fury and stomped his paws impotently. _**No**__, I can't __**just**__ heal it! What the hell is wrong with you?! How many times have I said this and you __**still**__ haven't listened?! Well listen now--listen __**damn **__well--and I'll put it in little words you can understand: __**My chakra is incinerating this body from the inside**__! My chakra is __**overloading**__ its paths and searing them into __**nothing**__, just like it would do with anyone but you! This body isn't like yours, which has dealt with my power since before your chakra paths had time to form. When they did, they were __**better**__--not perfectly, but __**better**__--capable of channeling my power without harm coming to you. It's the difference between your normal skin and callused skin. This body doesn't __**have**__ the callused-skin chakra paths that yours does, so the more either of us uses my chakra, the __**closer**__ this body gets to death!_

Vaguely, Naruto recalled the fox mentioning it, though in his own defense Kyuubi's take on it had never made the problem seem all that urgent. _. . . Oh . . . No wonder you wanted to leave._

Kyuubi snarled. _How __**brilliant**__ that you just made that connection __**now**__, after it's nearly __**too fucking late**!_

_You never actually __**said**__ that, you know. You just said it was dangerous._

_And that wasn't clue enough?!_

_It's not like you never lie,_ Naruto pointed out.

_Why __**else**__ would I want to go back under a completed seal, you---?!_ The kitsune made a disgusted noise and scratched at the floor. _**UGH**__! But __**no**__, you had to be paying more attention to a family that doesn't even __**belong**__ to you---_

Naruto drew the line there, his annoyance allowing him to regain control of his eyelids. He opened them and propped himself on his elbows to glare at the kitsune. _**Fuck off**__, Fox-bastard._

_Why should I? If you humans weren't so __**regretful**__---_

_It's choices and regretting that put us above animals like __**you**!_

_Well,_ Kyuubi hissed scathingly, tails lashing, _it wasn't much of a help, now was it?!_

_You---_

_Hey,_ the other Naruto suddenly interrupted from wherever he was; Naruto could not see him. _Screw what he's done. What can we do __**now**?_

Kyuubi snorted derisively. _We can die._

_He's lying,_ Naruto hissed sharply. _He can heal the body._

Kyuubi sneered, baring his teeth in an almost-snarl. _You __**still**__ think that?! You're __**so**__ dead you can __**hear**__ that boy for once!_

_I---_

_Shut up!_ the other Naruto commanded loudly, and both Naruto and Kyuubi obeyed him out of surprise. _Now, Bad Kyuubi, is there any way to heal the body in a manner that will cause minimal damage?_

_Slowly,_ Kyuubi acknowledged grudgingly. _More like how it would heal itself if it had the opportunity. It'll damage the body, but not nearly as much as it would if I healed it the way the idiot is used to._

_Then do that._

_It'll take time and the body will still be decomposing._

_That's fine. There won't be a funeral for a few days._

_**Days**?_ Kyuubi echoed, sounding distinctly surprised. _Don't you humans inter your dead?_

_Sometimes. In Fire Country, we generally cremate first, and that takes preparation._

_So snap to it, Fox-bastard,_ Naruto prodded.

_Watch your mouth, child,_ Kyuubi growled. _You are now at __**my**__ will._

_I doubt that, considering that your life is still dependent on mine._

The Narutos observed in silence as Kyuubi went about healing the body all three of them were inhabiting.

After an extended period of quiet, Naruto--never one to sit still for long--fidgeted and said, _Sorry._

_What for?_ his counterpart asked, and when Naruto actually looked at him it was obvious the poor brat was still trapped in his doorless gold cage.

Naruto could not remember the last time he had ever apologized. He knew he had done it before, but could not remember when or why. It must have been a while, though, because doing so felt very awkward on his tongue. _Making a mess of your body._

_Oh, that._ The shrug in his counterpart's words was clear. _Well, 's not like I ever did it any favors anyway. Since you built it up, I guess you can take it down, too._

Naruto frowned up at the solid, opaque bottom of the cage. _What, you're __**okay**__ with me killing you?_

_I've always tried to be prepared for death. It's kind of inevitable, as a shinobi._

Naruto rolled his eyes and flopped back down. _You know, being prepared for death is all well and good, but with an attitude like that it's no wonder you're so miserable. Stop being Life's bitch and __**do**__ something, for a change._

There was the creak of metal on metal and the counterpart poked his head between the bars of the cage to look down at him. _This from the dipshit who tried to commit suicide to __**help**?_

Once more, Naruto examined the other's unmarked cheeks and still concluded that it was strange, even after months of seeing it in a mirror. _At least I __**tried**__ to help. Better than offing myself out of self-pity._

_At least I wouldn't be in the way, then._

Naruto _really_ wished he had something to throw at the other. Having practiced his throwing techniques for certain pranks much as for kunai and shuriken, he was sure he could nail the little fucker square in the forehead. _Thank you for proving my point._

His counterpart sighed in a distinctly put-upon manner, which made Naruto roll his eyes again and praise whichever deities were listening that he had not turned into such a drama queen. The younger was more subdued that Naruto remembered, but he did not care enough to ask why. It was hardly his business. _What the hell were you trying to __**do**__, anyway? What __**possible**__ purpose could suicide serve?_

Naruto sat up and waved his sandal-clad feet absently, noting distantly that the ceremonial robes he was wearing--for whatever the reason--finally fit. Ahead of him, Kyuubi sat with his broad red back to them, head lowered, motionless but for the nine scraggly tails waving like tall meadow grass in a breeze. _The idea was that I would be clinically dead, the council would be satisfied that I was **really** dead, Kyuubi would heal me while Dad took the body home, I'd wake up there and explain everything--and I mean __**everything**__--to him, and then we'd figure this whole murder business out. Meanwhile, the clerics would think Kyuubi was gone because I was dead, they'd stop threatening to hurt Mom and Nyoko, and they'd take the myobu away._

His counterpart blinked._ You banked on clinical death to accomplish all of __**that**?_ _Are you stupid?_

Naruto snorted. _I never claimed I was a genius, now did I?_

A smirk answered. _Even if you did, you hardly deserve the title._

Naruto casually flipped him the bird and then quickly rolled out of the way as his counterpart tried to spit on him. _Well, if I ever did, it's because I __**am**__ a genius compared to __**you**._

Abruptly, Naruto felt a familiar pain sear along his spine and twisted in a vain effort to escape it. His counterpart seemed to feel it, too, for the younger boy arched back with a muffled curse.

_Oops,_ Kyuubi murmured, sounding far more pleased than apologetic.

When the caged boy recovered from the sting, he let his head and arms hang between the cage's bars. _Wha . . . What the hell was __**that**?_

_Fox-bastard's chakra setting fire to some vital organ, probably,_ Naruto informed him, forcing the pain away with the experience of--unfortunately--long practice. _It'll take years off your life, being scorched and healed over and over like this. Your chakra paths might not be reparable--it could cripple you._

_I'm sure Dad will think of something._

_Dude,_ Naruto replied, with a sigh indicating that he thought the other's naïveté was tedious, _I love your dad like he's mine, but his idea of a brilliant plan is getting rid of that myobu by __**dying**__. That's brave and shit, but hardly award-worthy. Especially when he has two kids on the ground and two more on the way._

_Maybe you should trust him more,_ his counterpart suggested._ He's not an idiot._

_Maybe __**you**,_ Naruto shot back,_ shouldn't blindly assume that everything's always going to work out. If he __**does**__ die, __**you**__ won't have a dad anymore. Neither will Nyoko. And she's young enough she might not remember him. The twins definitely wouldn't. Do you really want that to happen? Do you want to risk you and Mom being the only ones who knew him?_

_Of course n---_

Kyuubi suddenly started laughing hysterically.

_What the hell's with you, Fox-bastard?_ Naruto prompted.

Kyuubi howled. _Eh ha ha! I may be a fire fox, but that doesn't make __**you**__ totally immune to it! Especially not in this body! You're __**burning**__ to death! Ahahahaha!_

"_NARUTO_!"

Shocked, Naruto lurched into a sit like a zombie. He nearly passed right back out both from low blood pressure and smoke inhalation as a scratchy cloth fabric fell off of his face. His back stung with the familiar tingle of fire and he turned to get away, but it was all around him. Weak from his immense blood loss--and it had to have been _immense_ to make him so weak--he had no escape. Then he saw a black-clad arm appear through the flames, followed by a head of blond hair.

"Naruto!"

"Dad!" Naruto fell gratefully into his father's grasp and the two tumbled out of the consuming fire and onto the ground. The smell of scorched fabric and singed hair was prominent but ignored as identical sets of blue gazed at one another. The younger nuzzled the older eagerly. "Dad . . ."

His father was shocked into stillness. "You're really alive . . ."

Naruto grinned uncertainly and rubbed the back of his head. _Shit. I'm **so** dead. Again. And probably forever this time._ "Yeah, I am."

It was a dream come true for Arashi. _Thank you, thank you . . . Whoever did this, whoever's listening, **thank you** . . ._ "H-How?"

"Well," Naruto answered with a sigh, "I guess I wouldn't mind telling you now, but I'd prefer to do it someplace more comfortable. After all, it's a long st---"

Both heard the rustle of clothing. Arashi tried to get to his feet and protect Naruto, but he was at a considerable disadvantage, being the one on his back. It was Naruto who swirled to his feet with practiced skill, ignoring his powerful dizziness and grievous injuries as readily as ever, and glared at the ninja surrounding them. Each side stared harshly at the other, warning one another to not try to harm anyone important. Naruto coughed softly and quickly closed his mouth.

Arashi did not see exactly who started the fight, but it was not Naruto. There was a flicker of movement and Naruto turned sharply. Like a cobra spitting venom, Naruto opened his mouth and covered the face of a nearby jounin, who reeled in surprise at the unorthodox attack, with blood. He then lunged forward and rammed his head into the armored gut of an ANBU standing in front of him before turning and violently headbutting the one immediately beside the first.

It was only at that point that the other ninja finally began to act and descended on Naruto en masse. Before Arashi could even get completely to his feet to try to stop the battle, Naruto had somehow wiggled away from them and wrapped them in wires that he had stolen from someone. A little more than half of the trapped ninja poofed away, replaced by various tree and pipe parts, and Naruto whirled a full one-eighty, once again flinging a mouthful of blood up into the face of a very startled ninja. A pair of ANBU slid around from behind the tied group of ninja as a jounin came at him sneakily from the front, but Naruto performed an incredibly ungraceful mule kick before drawing himself forward and slamming his head upward into the poor jounin's groin. He then pushed away, landed on the shoulders of one of the ninja in the tied up group, and took in the semi-aerial view of his opponents.

"You guys suck a big meaty one."

Someone threw senbon at him and he launched away again, landing unsteadily before the Third. For several moments no one moved and everyone barely breathed. Even though Sarutobi was no longer the acting Hokage, he was still an important person and, at Arashi's insistence, was under the same guard he would have been had he been Hokage. In the case of the funeral, though, the usual guards had been at a distance so the event did not seem so militant, and with the speed that Naruto was so suddenly displaying it was hard to say if the guards would get there in time to protect the retired Hokage.

Sarutobi--too experienced to be fooled by flashy moves and too old to be worried about dying--took his pipe from his robes as he lifted one eyebrow. "You're having far too much fun with this, boy. Especially the way you are. You should take better care of you body--you're only given the one."

Naruto smirked in answer, aware no malice was being directed at him. _If only you knew . . ._ "If you're so smart, old geezer, why aren't _you_ catching me?"

Sarutobi did not need to reply, because Naruto's body chose right then to remind him of the condition it was in. Blood--surely more blood than what should have been left in his body--splattered on the earth and he sank weakly to his knees. Ninja swarmed in for the victory, but he received influential protection.

"Enough," Sarutobi commanded firmly, and the ninja halted obediently. "He can't fight anymore. If there was any danger before, there is none now. It's time for us to hear his side of the story."

"_Naruto_!"

Naruto responded to the voice like a flower to sunlight. He tried to get up and move to meet the other, but with his staggering it was easy for Sarutobi put an arm around his ribs and carefully draw him back, at once supporting and restraining him. "Stay put," the retired Hokage ordered gently. "You are too injured. Let him come to you."

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

I have decided that The Voice is a bastard. Or bitch, since I haven't really given it a gender. (Bitch-bastard?) And for certain, its self-contradicting statements are entirely purposeful. Guilty minds rarely make sense.

---

For those who may not know, yes, stress can cause a woman to go into labor prematurely. _Very_ prematurely, if the timing is bad enough. I'm not sure of the exact connections between the type of stress and labor, though, or if any have been made (I, personally, assume that it's a matter of instinctive, involuntary self-preservation). Whichever it is, it's why pregnant women often go into labor after a car accident or immediately following something like an earthquake--it's the worst possible time, but it can't be helped.

---

No, seriously, dead people _don't_ form scabs over wounds. The blood from the wounds _does_ congeal in the air and it might _look_ like a scab, but scabs don't actually form if you're dead. If I remember correctly, it's part of a breakdown in the body--without the body's command to clot and stop the bleeding, scabs can't be created.

---

A troglodyte is a cave-dweller (or a recluse), specifically those of the prehistoric variety.

---

Clinical death is when your heart and lungs stop functioning. You lose consciousness within a few seconds, and your brain shuts down in less than a minute. Some parts of your body, such as bones, can survive clinical death better than others, like the brain, before they're considered severely damaged (eight to twelve hours versus five minutes).

---

Spitting blood on your opponent('s face) must be _fantastically_ unsanitary.

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	42. Overload

I apologize for the abnormally long notes here, but a lot of stuff has happened at once . . .

_**Important Updates Note:**_ Just a heads-up. On the evening of Monday the twenty-seventh--or Tuesday--I will be starting a new job. It's only part-time and nothing I haven't done in a previous job, but I will still need time to settle into the new routine. I don't expect this will have an adverse affect on future updates (having a job will give me call rights to the computer, which means I _should_ be able to continue responding to reviews and updating every week, barring work fatigue), but please don't panic if I miss a few. At worst, I'd like to think updates will be posted every week at random rather than not posted at all, but I make no promises.

**Author's Notes:** Chapter forty-two! I am now running on about four and a half hours of sleep, and I will tell you in all candor that it is not fun. Well, this week's delay was brought to you by this site's line break, which _ate two paragraphs_ of this chapter when I tried to update, so I've had to rewrite them. It was also brought to you by the labor and delivery of my sister's dog's puppies, and since said dog does not have a good track record as a mother (she seems to be doing better this time around, but we're still watching her), I'm the graveyard shift babysitter (not that it matters--I'm a night owl anyway).

Also, a (semi-)fanart! 'Semi-' because it references a line in _DNT_, rather than a particular scene. **Wonderfoal** bravely visited the idea of Orochimaru changing baby!Naruto's diapers, and I must say that the baby powder handprints are perfect! http//www .borogove. net/ast/ a-rankmission. jpg

**_OH MY GOD!!_** I don't like to take the Lord's name in vain, but I seriously think this situation calls for it. _Massive_ thanks to **Kwala** for pointing this out to me, because I'm not able to follow the manga as closely as the anime and this will help me be accurate in future fics. The most recent manga chapter--Number 367--is full of **_really important stuff_** (no spoilers here, I promise, but there are references to the contents). The bit about Kakashi's potential future doesn't surprise me--the number of jutsu that he knows made me consider it over two years ago, but I still maintain that while he'd do it, he'd give it up as soon as he decided he could do so without everything going to pot, because he doesn't strike me as the type to be still like that for long. The Fourth **_finally_** has an official name (_Hallelujah!!_) As for the mystery of Naruto's pedigree finally being solved: _Hooray!!_ I advise everyone to go read the manga chapter _right now_ (even before you read this chapter of _DNT_!) and don't let the title fool you--even if you like Itachi and/or Sasuke, they are _not_ the focal point of this installment.

I said the above partly because I figured that those who have read the manga chapter already will have questions about what it means for _DNT_'s future. At this point, the new information is _**not**_ going to alter anything regarding the Fourth or Naruto in _Door Number Two_--or the sequel--even if I rewrite. _DNT_ was written prior to the release of this information, and right now I can only envision pandemonium ensuing if I tried to change things now or later (I'm not saying I won't ever be able to find a way to make it work, but it's unlikely). So canon-wise, _Door Number Two_ is simply going to have to be a parallel universe to an alternate universe (it already was anyway, what with Sasuke being around, so that's not really a big deal).

**Wolfkun**: Kakashi is . . . difficult. With the last chapters, I'm trying to figure out if he'd still revere teamwork with _that_ much dedication or if--since he'd be hearing it from multiple sides in parallelverse but has never lost a close teammate like that--he'd actually get kind of . . . not _elitist_, but . . . desensitized? I dunno--can't think of the word right now. He's not as close to Naruto in parallelverse as he is in canonverse. It might be enough that "mission" takes precedence over everything else. On the other hand, I've just gotten an interesting idea; I'll see if I can slip it into the 'deleted scenes'.

**excited reader**: I'm glad you're enjoying, and I appreciate being allowed to contribute to the delinquency of a(nother) minor. XD Fics are more fun than schoolwork anyway. It doesn't _have_ to be concrit, though I do appreciate any you might have (and I'll keep what you've suggested in mind). I do apologize about the suddennes of the murder issue, but rest assured it will be cleared up before the fic is done.

**Avalon**: Yes, I know that. Please read the "Answers To Questions" section at the end of chapter thirty-two so that you'll understand my choice better.

**flit**: It was the scab and the darker whiskers that were the hints.

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 3,690

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 8/24/07

**Disclaimer:** No.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Forty-Two - Overload

* * *

Though he had never thought to say or show it--one of the very few things he often regretted terribly--Naruto had always loved and respected the Third for treating him like he was a person separate from the kyuubi. Because of the distance caused by individual duties and general village status, however, he had never fully realized how firm that acknowledgement was and how much it had meant until after the old man's death at the hands of Orochimaru. For Naruto, only one of dozens of children who had never known any Hokage _but_ the Third, he had rather naïvely expected the geezer to live forever despite being completely aware of the Hokage's role. The Third's passing had been a huge wake-up call, therefore; one that reminded everyone that people close to you really did die--not just appeared to, like Sasuke in Wave Country--and thus Naruto had vowed more fiercely than ever to always protect his precious people.

Naruto's respect and affection for the old man had grown even more after he had learned--by eavesdropping, of course--that the Third had not only fought against and defeated the resurrected Shodai and Nidaime, but had prevented Orochimaru from bringing the Yondaime back as well. It was impossible to say if it had been a self-preservation tactic, as the Fourth would have undoubtedly tipped the scales in the snake's favor by quite a margin, or a gesture of respect that had not been managed in time for the first two. Either way, Naruto was glad of it; it would doubtless have broken the Fourth's heart--whatever might have been left of it thirteen years later--to be turned on the village like the Shodai and Nidaime had been. Not that either of them would have liked it either, but from what he had read about them they seemed to be less . . . whimsical? . . . about what _might_ be and what _had_ to be in the life of a shinobi, including the possibility of not having control of oneself even in one's own mind.

With those ideas in the fore of his thoughts, Naruto obeyed, without question, the counterpart Sandaime's command to be still. Even if it meant dying, deference to the old man's parallel self after all of the trouble Naruto had caused him as a child was the least--and now the only thing--he could do in thanks. He trusted the Third implicitly, though, and had no doubt that in the absence of the Fourth he would still be protected until he was fairly judged.

"Hold him!" a man from the council's area called loudly, and two shinobi compliantly took hold of the Fourth, who had been trying to work his way through the gathered throngs to where Naruto was.

"Let him go," Sarutobi countered firmly, and the ninja obeyed.

"Do not!" the same council member snapped, so the ninja grabbed the Fourth again, who was getting dangerously close to a powerful mixture of hysteria and fury.

"Let him go," Sarutobi repeated calmly, moving his hand to Naruto's shoulder, "or he will hurt you."

"_Do not_!" the councilman thundered a third time, and the shinobi portion of the council could be seen surreptitiously separating themselves from the civilian portion, in case the overwrought Hokage decided to get rid of the source of the resistance against him.

Arashi roared impatiently and slammed an elbow into the face of one ninja holding him--there was a definite crunch of bone--then the other into the stomach of the second. Free, he surged toward the Third.

"_Control him_!" the councilman shouted angrily.

"I have an idea," Kakashi replied mildly as Arashi breezed right past him, neither even sparing the other a second glance. "Why don't _you_ control him?"

"Maybe you've forgotten," Obito agreed from beside him, "but your predecessors tried to keep him from his son, too, and they may as well have been fired. They'd probably be _dead_ if the circumstances had been anything like this. You keep this up and you'll be out on your asses too--if you're lucky."

"If he's so violent," was the councilman's response, "he's a danger to the Sandaime!"

"_Everybody_ knows that he's only that dangerous when he's kept from his children," Kakashi scoffed. "Nobody is trying to restrain him, so nobody's getting hurt."

"This is insane! There's _obviously_ something wrong with that boy if he comes back from the dead!"

Kakashi and Obito bowed like a pair of performers and said simultaneously, "Welcome to our world, where the living die and the dead rise."

Arashi ascended the stairs three at a time to the platform that Sarutobi was on. The Third let go of Naruto and the two blonds embraced. "How?" Arashi asked weakly. "_How_?"

Naruto let himself be cuddled tightly. "Can we go inside first?" he wheezed, not bothering to protest even for the sake of his creaking ribs. "I'm kinda hungry." _That's a total understatement. Between being dead and all this blood loss, I'm **starving**._ He then had to push his father away and turn so as to vomit more blood on the earth instead of on their clothes. ". . . I need painkillers, too."

Arashi turned as he squeezed Naruto probably more firmly than he should have, given the condition of Naruto's body. "_Basan_!"

Tsunade appeared out of the crowd and knelt by them.

Naruto stared as she began examining him. _She actually looks her age! Freaky!_ Not that she looked bad; keeping fit had helped her skin stay mostly elastic. There were not many wrinkles, and the ones that were there were only laugh lines. He let his gaze drop briefly--_Well, I guess they __**are**__ real. She really was a late bloomer, like Ero-sennin said._--but _only_ briefly, lest he get himself caught in the act and accused of being a pervert again. That he _was_ a pervert, even if not nearly on the scale of Jiraiya, did not justify a constant assertion of the fact, particularly since eighty-five percent of his perversion was used strictly to mortify and infuriate various female acquaintances--teasing Hinata wrangled especially good reactions, though he only ever did so with Sakura if he had at least fifty feet of space already between them--while the remaining fifteen percent was dedicated to the occasional porn magazine. If porn magazines could even be considered real perversion.

Tsunade finally looked at Arashi, her abrupt movement interrupting Naruto's thoughts as his training forced him back to the important topic. "I've healed the worst of the internal damage, but he still needs to go to the hospital if he's going to make it through the rest of the day."

"He's going to die?" Arashi whispered, clearly in agony.

Naruto silently commanded himself to stay awake and as cheerful as possible. He had a sudden, terrible feeling that if he died again his father would not survive it.

"If you sit here, yes," Tsunade confirmed.

The next thing Naruto knew, he was in the hospital. _How the hell did we get here so fast? I know I didn't pass out . . ._ The Fourth's fine trembling redirected his thoughts that time around. He wanted to be reassuring, but he could think of nothing to say except: ". . . Dad, I'm _hungry_."

It seemed to have some effect, appealing to his father's parenting instincts rather than fear. Arashi looked around distantly for a vending machine, still cradling Naruto closely. "All right, just---"

"_No_ food," Tsunade said from behind Arashi, causing father and son to jump in surprise. "We might have to do surgery."

"But Baa-chan," Naruto protested with what energy he could spare, "I'm _starving_!"

She frowned, then sighed. "Fine."

Naruto grinned at his victory, but stilled in confusion when she touched his forehead.

All he knew after that was darkness.

_One day I'm going to remember that . . . Her finger on my forehead is always trouble._

* * *

Arashi stared down at the to-go bowl of Ichiraku ramen on the little table in front of him. He had wanted to wait outside the examination room, but Tsunade had shown him to the room she would be putting Naruto in afterward, telling him that she could not work properly with his Concern Rays sliding around the edges of the doorway and nipping at her ankles. About half an hour later, Hotaru had shown up with two bowls of ramen--he really, _really_ did not deserve her--one for him and one for Naruto. He was technically supposed to be eating his bowl already, but he did not feel like doing so without Naruto present. The only times Arashi _had _eaten Ichiraku ramen without Naruto were before the smaller blond had been born. After that, even before Naruto was old enough to eat food, he had _always_ tagged along with Arashi in one of those neat little baby backpacks. So it felt very, very strange to eat Ichiraku ramen alone, despite that he had done so for longer than Naruto had been alive.

_It feels like going backwards if I do that, like he's not here. In fact, I feel downright ill anyway. I think if I eat any of this I'll throw it back up from nerves._ He poked at a fishcake and sighed to himself._ . . . I give up._

There was a knock on the door. Arashi barely heard it as he carefully replaced the insulated lid on the take-out bowl, so Hotaru went to answer. Beyond stood Kakashi, and hovering quietly behind him were Sasuke and Sakura, both still dressed for the funeral. "Hello, Onee-sama."

She opened the door wider, frowning faintly. "Kakashi? Is anything wrong?"

He smiled at her and his eyes curved up slightly. "No no, everything's fine. Well, aside from the council---" He belatedly noticed Arashi's presence and blanched. ". . . Er . . ."

"Finish," Arashi told him flatly, without lifting his head.

"Well . . ." Kakashi played with his fingers, as if trying to prove his innocence. "The council's trying to stir up some kind of witch hunt."

Hotaru was unsure what to say or do--she was still lost as to what, exactly, was going on with her family--but Arashi snarled loudly and fisted his hands in his hair.

"They're not getting anywhere," Kakashi assured him. "Even though you're considered a biased party, Sandaime-sama is handing out explanations left and right. I don't know what they are--Obito's supposed to find out for me."

"All right. Oh," Hotaru said suddenly, falling back on manners that had been drilled into her to avoid bursting into inconvenient tears, "is Iruka-kun all right with watching Nyoko?"

"He's having a blast," Kakashi assured her cheerfully. "He's totally in his element--says she's going to be just like Naruto."

Hotaru grimaced. "Well, that's fine, as long as she only shares his personality and not his attention deficit." She looked around him and nodded at the children, clearly confused but not demanding answers. "Sakura. Sasuke-kun."

Sakura dipped her head and Sasuke bowed deeply. "Lady Hotaru," both chorused quietly.

"Is there something you two need?"

Sakura shook her head. "We were . . . We were wondering about Naruto-sama. I know it's not really my business, but he saved my life before--twice--and I wanted to know if there was anything I could do to help. In even a tiny way."

"I'm afraid there's nothing," Hotaru answered, "but you're welcome to stay. Tsunade-sama is examining Naruto now."

Both seemed to want to do so, but their eyes flickered in Arashi's direction. Kakashi, who had obviously been their guide there, marched right in and sat backward in a chair he drew near his teacher. He crossed his arms on the back and rested his chin on them. "You look like hell warmed over, sensei."

Arashi tried to snort, but did not put in enough effort, so it came out as a sharp sigh.

Kakashi chuckled and scooted closer so he could rest his head against his teacher's shoulder.

"It's all right," Hotaru assured the two still in the hall with a small smile. "Arashi's very gloomy right now, but not angry. If you can ignore his gloom, he won't bother you."

So the betrothed pair slipped in, bowed to their Hokage, who paid them no attention, and then settled in some chairs in the corner. It was then that Arashi noticed they were there, and immediately his mind returned to the night Naruto had been stabbed by the Rain-nin and nearly died. _He was speaking to Sakura and Sasuke that time. Even with only the moonlight there I could tell that his eyes were clear and focused on something right next to his bed--it wasn't a hallucination._

He tilted his head, letting the questions and confusion distract him, if only for a moment. _But why them? He barely knew either one until recently and now he's suddenly reassuring __**them**__, specifically, when they aren't in the room with him or probably even thinking about him, that he's all right? That makes no sense from __**any**__ angle._

"Sasuke, Sakura," he said suddenly, and everyone turned to look at him except Kakashi, who was already close enough that he need not turn. "What kind of relationship do you two have with Naruto?"

They blinked and looked over at one another, then Sakura said slowly, ". . . Well, Hokage-sama, it's not a _bad_ one. I mean, we don't all go places together, but we do often stop and speak to one another on the street."

"That's it?"

She nodded.

Arashi frowned. _Damn._

"What's wrong?" Hotaru asked.

His gaze flickered to her briefly. "I'm just . . . trying to work some things out and not getting anywhere."

The hours passed so slowly Arashi thought he was going to lose his mind if he had to wait too much longer. Finally, the door opened and Tsunade wheeled in the bed Naruto had been placed on prior to his examination. He was still lying there, not looking much different from when he had gone in. Arashi tried to keep himself far away from the thought that Naruto had looked very much the same before, when he had first been attacked and put in a coma by a Rain-nin.

"_Well_?!" Hotaru prompted impatiently.

Tsunade looked hard at Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sakura. "Out."

"_What_?" Kakashi protested.

"Patient confidentiality. _Out_."

"It's all right," Arashi told her wearily. "Naruto is close to them. He won't mind."

Tsunade snorted in disbelief, but did not further mince words. "This boy should have died five months ago."

Sakura gasped and grabbed onto Sasuke's nearer arm in shock. Kakashi's jaw tightened. Hotaru covered her mouth with her hands.

Arashi frowned and shook off the frozen-blood sensation that had filled his body. He needed--_had_--to understand. Naruto knew that something was going on and had implied as much, but the new information might tell all itself. "Explain."

"First of all, are you having a problem with Rain?"

Hotaru squeaked in alarm and turned to rest her head against Arashi's shoulder. Arashi's frown deepened at the question. He considered whether the information would be too classified for the two kids' ears, but quickly decided it was not if he spoke carefully. "Politically? Not as far as I know. But they _have_ been showing up randomly and making attempts to kill Naruto and Nyoko. We captured one, but he refused to talk and died during interrogation."

"Well," Tsunade replied, "now you have a replacement for him. One tried to sneak in as a med-nin and kill him while I was studying a reference I'd brought along."

Hotaru began to cry softly and Arashi snarled silently. "I'll deal with him. Thank you."

Tsunade nodded once. "Your son, Hokage-sama, has been dealing with the effects of a constant chakra overload for about five months now."

There was a long silence.

After a moment, Sakura whispered to Sasuke, "What does that mean?"

Sounding vaguely dazed, Sasuke whispered back, "It means his body has been melting from the inside for five months."

Sakura gasped again and looked faintly ill.

"He should have been dead within hours--maybe even just minutes--of it beginning," Kakashi added, slipping into the lecture mode he had rarely been able to use with Naruto, who had seemed to already know everything. "Generally, whenever you use chakra, your body utilizes what we call 'Gates' to defend itself from the strength of your chakra, which it can't fully contain because your spirit is far, far stronger than your body. Gates bar certain magnitudes of chakra from use as a protective measure. Shinobi and other types of chakra users live full, natural, healthy lives thanks to these Gates. The Gates _can_ be opened, though, with the right discipline. It's dangerous, but as long as you don't open too many Gates too often, your body will eventually recover.

"For safety, whether the Gates are open or closed, you still have to control your chakra when you make use of it. If not, it overloads. For minor overloads, we just say that the chakra is 'wasted', but it's still an overload even if it's not enough to do the body any real harm. When your chakra fully overloads your chakra system, it leaks free and spreads to veins and arteries, which are a lot like chakra paths and often follow the same flow. But chakra is 'hot' and blood vessels, used to transporting 'cold' blood, can't stand up to it. The vessels burn away to nothing, which causes internal bleeding, and while they're even just a little intact, your chakra uses them as conduits. It travels to all of your major organs, fills them, and incinerates them. Because it becomes so widespread so quickly, reversing it is virtually impossible.

"If Naruto," Kakashi concluded, "has been living with this for months--unfeasible or not--he would be in a state of incessant pain for every second of every day he was in that condition."

". . . He _seemed_ happy enough," Sasuke murmured to no one.

"But he hasn't _been_ opening any of his Gates," Arashi countered, upset. _What kind of father am I, to not notice . . .?_ "That's something anyone in the village with the vaguest of sensing skills would pick up."

"No," Tsunade agreed, "he hasn't." She leaned on one hand on the edge of the bed. "Is there any way Naruto could have come in contact with demonic chakra?"

"Demonic . . ." Jarred from his self-recrimination, Arashi tilted his head. "Well, he's had contact with Kyuubi, but that's been much longer than just five months."

"This isn't something that he's merely absorbing from somewhere," Tsunade clarified. "He came into prolonged contact with a demon that carried it and is now _generating_ it."

"That's _impossible_!" Kakashi blurted. "Humans can't produce _demonic_ chakra!"

Hotaru clutched Arashi's arm anxiously. "Arashi, five months . . . That's when Naruto went into the hospital the first time."

Arashi looked at her, then realized that she was right.

"_What_, now?" Tsunade demanded, looking between them.

"Roughly five months ago," Arashi explained, "Naruto was attacked by a Rain-nin. No one was there with him; it was hours before I found him. He was in a coma for three weeks." He paused. "Do you think the Rain-nin did something to him?"

Tsunade shook her head. "Unlikely. Even if it was a nukenin, the other Rain-nin would be more likely to go after him than Naruto. Unless . . ."

"Unless?" Arashi prompted, leaning forward slightly.

"Parts of the chakra path immediately around his navel are incredibly strong compared to what it should be. It reminds me of a seal."

"Didn't you look?" Hotaru asked.

Tsunade shook her head and rested her hand on Naruto's stomach in the place that Arashi noted he had always been adverse to having touched. Sure enough, as soon as he felt the weight of her hand, Naruto twitched violently and woke long enough to fling her hand away, then settled weakly back down to sleep.

"I _can't_ look," Tsunade concluded. "That was the _nice_ reaction."

"Let me try," Arashi said, moving to the opposite side of the bed. "He's been like that for a while, but at the time he let me touch him there."

Tsunade backed away from the bed and Arashi placed his hand onto Naruto's stomach. Naruto responded as he had with Tsunade, but Arashi quickly moved to support his neck with his free hand and bent over his son. Blue stared into blue.

"It's just me," Arashi told him gently. "Will you let me look?"

Naruto's gaze was unfocused and hazy with pain, but his grip loosened on Arashi's wrist and he relaxed into his father's hold. Arashi eased him back onto the bed and drew the blanket down, then opened the front of the scorched robes and stared at what was there.

Or rather, what was _not_ there.

"What is it?" Hotaru questioned, curious, as Tsunade and Arashi looked at Naruto's unmarked stomach contemplatively.

Kakashi drew her farther away. "If it's something concealed, it might be dangerous."

Almost thoughtfully, Arashi very lightly prodded Naruto's stomach with a fingertip that was faintly chakra-infused. With the chakra offering too weak to sustain anything it touched, small portions of the surrounding area flared black for a moment before fading back into his son's skin.

Naruto screamed.

Arashi took a step back, alarmed and guilt-stricken, and Tsunade lurched forward to take a reading of Naruto's vital signs. With a small sob of pain Naruto fell silent and Tsunade slowly let him go to tell Arashi firmly, "_Don't_ do that again. Between this demonic chakra and me healing him, he's become sensitive to chakra contact. With the overload the way it is, he can't filter and redirect it, so it's just sitting in there waiting for him to do something with it. Once he does, then we can try again."

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

I find it possible that Naruto, whenever he may have had the time and patience to sit still for long periods, would have researched all the Hokage to try to analyze their personalities and find out what had gotten them the title. It seems like something he would do to further his effort to acquire the post.

---

Those baby backpacks are _cool_--and they'd probably be cooler if they were marketed specifically for shinobi--though not cool enough to make _me_ want to have kids (_hell_ no). I'll probably end up with one anyway, since my sister plans on having kids (which automatically means I'm going to be saddled with them every once in a while).

---

Yes, I made up the thing about the Gates and wasted chakra. From the way canon has explored it, it's not quite as life-threatening as I've made it out to be, but it's fun to twist things, isn't it?

---

And no, between the fact that Arashi did not use a lot of chakra anyway and the fact that the seal is in pieces, he was not able to identify the seal as the shiki fuujin (yet).

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	43. Delivery

**Author's Notes:** Chapter forty-three! Today's interesting experience: fingerprinting. Last time I did it I was for a job with the post office and they used red ink instead of black; today, a few years later, I got it done on a neat little computer scanner thingy, no ink necessary.

**Wolfkun**: They do? Geez, Sandaime is like . . . _strong_. Maybe not like the Fourth, but he held his own against the Shodai and Nidaime before sealing them. That has to mean something. No, you didn't, that I can recall--and I think I would if you'd said the _Uchiha_ were cool. I don't think anyone has said that before now.

**steel149**: I'm glad you're enjoying and appreciate your review! Don't worry--the triplets will get a little more attention soon. The Fourth's canon name (the second 'n' should be a 't', by the way) is actually rather appropriate, if looked at a certain way. I concede that it's a strange name (though not nearly as weird as 'Naruto'), but I like it.

**Paintedbutterfly**: Either you were lucky, which gave you much to read, or you were unlucky because you couldn't enjoy it sooner.

**water**, should you get this far: I don't think I understand. You're upset because the fic has aspects of _realism_? Of course the menstruation has nothing to do with Naruto; it's not supposed to--it was merely a carryover from earlier dialogue. Likewise, of course the spitting is gross, but only an idiot would swallow it again; the point of coughing it up is to get rid of it, and face it--guys spit. I mean, if you'd rather, the next time I'd be happy to describe each spit in every slimy, mucousy detail. Yes, Naruto and the Fourth are out of character; so is everyone else, and they're all supposed to be that way. Also, I don't know what "Modernalize" is, but I assume you meant "modernized", and if so that's a matter of opinion (as is how much detail is too much). I don't recall describing cars or airplanes or snowboards or portable cassette players. While we're speaking of opinions, I'd like to point out that you have read your own desires into what I have written--the summary does not say at any point that Naruto 'has a second chance' or that he will live happily ever after with the family he has essentially _stolen_ from someone else, with no conflict to bother him ever again. All it says is that he has been given the opportunity to experience life with a family; not a happy family or a perfect family, just a family. And you're right, the end _will_ be sad and cruel, because that's what reality is a great deal of the time. Lastly, the word count--I was curious to see if you were right. This site lists the word count for this fic at 160,614. I then tallied the chapters based on the word count left within each chapter, which does not include anything but what immediately pertains to the fic's progression, and that came out to 131,872, which leaves 28,742 words for 'AN or just chatter.' For the record, I hit fifty thousand words at chapter seventeen and a hundred thousand at chapter thirty-three (you are free to double-check my work). The fact is, you wanted this fic to be some kind of sickly sweet fairy tale, and you're blaming me for your disappointment. I refuse to take responsibility.

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 3,350

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 8/31/07

**Disclaimer:** No.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Forty-Three - Delivery

* * *

When Naruto woke, he found himself staring at a white hospital ceiling. Monitors beeped around him, soft enough to a normal person but distinctly ear-piercing for him thanks to the kyuubi's sensitive ears. He ached all over, but not sharply.

". . . Dad?" he whispered hoarsely. ". . . Mom?"

"Naruto?!"

A familiar face leaned over him and he blinked sleepily. _Whoa, not so close, sensei. You're out of focus._ "'Ruka-sensei?"

"Naruto, are you all right?!"

"'M fine, I . . ." He let his head roll from one side to the other, but could not see anything helpful aside from his academy teacher. "I hurt a li'l."

"Wait just a moment, okay? I'll get Tsunade-sama." The door opened as Iruka turned to leave and Naruto saw him brighten. "Sakura! What fantastic timing! Will you stay with Naruto while I find Tsunade-sama?"

"Is something wrong?" Sakura asked.

"Naruto's awake!"

There was the shriek of sandal soles on the floor and a series of soft thumps, then Sakura snapped irritably, "_Sasuke_! _Easy_!"

Naruto blinked hazily up at his rival and once-teammate, who was leaning over him and staring with anxious black eyes. "'Ey, Sasuke. Shouldn' ya be on p'trol?"

Sasuke looked mildly alarmed. "Patrol? Of what?"

Naruto waved his hand toward the window vaguely. "Yer distric'. Aren't gonna make yer brother do it himself, are ya?"

Sasuke looked infuriated briefly, then afraid. "Naruto . . .?"

Sakura stomped over and made a shooing motion. "_Scoot_, Fan Boy." When Sasuke just looked at her blankly, she grabbed him by the collar and the waistband and flipped him over the bed. "_Out of the way_!"

Naruto watched Sasuke's flight and smirked. "Dude, ya gonna le' yersef ge' slapp'd 'round by a girl who's na e'en a ninja?"

This time, both Sasuke and Sakura stared at him. "_What_?"

With not a tiny bit of attention paid to their behavior, Naruto glanced around the room again dazedly. "Dad? Mom?" _It's weird that at least one of them isn't here . . ._

There was a long span where Sasuke and Sakura gazed at him, then looked nervously at each other. A moment later, a sharp _poof_ announced the arrival of another familiar person, who tucked an equally familiar book away. "Yo."

Naruto frowned. "'Kashi-sensei, why're ya wearin' a mask? An' why is yer . . ." All of the clues finally clicked into place in the puzzle. ". . . Ev'rbody hates me here, righ'?" There were three acknowledging nods. "Oh." _That would definitely explain why Mom and Dad aren't around._

Oddly, the thought only brought a sense of resignation. He was not supposed to be in that place anyway, so he had no real right to hang onto it.

"'Kay," he decided. "Lemme recal'brate." He shuffled new and old memories into two piles: 'Reality' and 'If Only'. ". . . Sak'ra-chan's really goo' me'-nin an' figh's jus' like Baa-chan . . . Sasuke's an asshole . . . 'Tachi's a lunatic . . . 'Kashi-sensei has a Sharingan . . . Baa-chan's Fifth Hokage . . . Fourth died . . . Fourth . . . died . . ." His eyes began to sting and he turned his head away from Sakura so she would not see if he started to cry. He would have rather turned away from all three of them, but they were stationed in just the right way that he could only turn away from either Sasuke or Sakura, not both and not Kakashi, who was at the foot of his bed. Still, Kakashi was far too mature to make fun of him and Sasuke knew what it was like to lose family, so they were the lesser of two evils. ". . . Fuck . . ."

He managed to keep his tears back and grinned weakly at Sakura as she examined him. He could see that he would have to reassure them that he was really okay. Fortunately, it was not entirely a lie--he was beginning to feel more normal thanks to Sakura's healing touch. "Go on a da'e wif me when 'm be'er, Sak'ra-chan?"

All three of them relaxed visibly--_Bingo._--and Sakura snorted. "Not a chance."

"You just can't do anything right, can you, dobe?" Sasuke prodded, rather gently for their usual jabs. "Can't even train without putting yourself in the hospital."

"Fuck you, teme. Yer jus' jealous 'cause ya can' train har' 'nough _ta_ pu' yersef inta tha 'ospital. Have ta ge' me ta pu' ya there."

Sakura giggled at Sasuke's genuinely outraged expression. "You wish, dobe."

"Teme," Naruto replied automatically, then frowned thoughtfully at the tone of the whole 'argument'. _I wonder when those stopped being names that were meant to annoy each other and became brotherly endearments._

Sakura finished her examination just as Iruka and Tsunade arrived.

Naruto grinned at her. "Baa-chan, yer lookin' young an' big-breast'd!" Tsunade bashed him in the skull with a fist. "_Ow_! _'Ey_!"

"You're in the hospital and bedridden, but not because you're injured," Tsunade told him. "You should be more self-preserving than that. Now what the hell is going on?"

"Couldn' tell ya--'aven' been 'round."

"That's exactly what I'm talking about. Where _have_ you been, talking about being taken care of by your father and all that?"

He snorted and turned his head away as he closed his eyes; it was as rebellious as he was going to get lying in a bed. "Ain' tellin'." It was not because he was _trying_ to be difficult--not entirely. _It's a long story and I'd never get it all out without somebody interrupting with questions._ "Ya wouldn' beleef me."

That was true, at any rate.

"At least tell me that thing's contained."

"Tha' thin's co'tain'd, yeah. All safe an' soun', bof 'ere an' there. More 'ere than there, though, but co'tain'd on bof sides."

"Good. Now, expl---"

Tired from all his speaking and moving, though, he did not hear any more because he fell asleep, despite the volume of her voice. Having closed his eyes, he did not quite realize he had done so until he opened them again and found that it was night; the lights were off and the room was almost pitch-dark. Monitors grated in his ears, as always, but it was the blond head resting against his flank that let him know he had switched worlds again.

"Dad . . .?" he called softly, automatically tightening his grip around the two fingers that rested in reach of his hand. _He can't be comfortable, sleeping like that. He should at least be on a futon . . ._

His father responded immediately by sitting up with a sleepy jerk and turning to him. "Naruto?" He stood and leaned in closer. "Naruto? You awake?"

"Yeah, 'm 'wake."

The Fourth bent over him, giving as much of a hug as he could with Naruto lying down, and kissed his forehead. "Thank the gods . . . It's been days . . ."

"'Ow many?"

"Five."

He drew back and Naruto saw his eyes glitter in the moonlight. "What're . . .? . . . Oh, no, Dad, don' . . . Don' do tha' . . ." It was too late; Naruto's own eyes filled with tears and then spilled over briefly. "C'mon, Dad, please don' . . . 'M okay, I prom'se . . ."

The Fourth chuckled weakly and scrubbed at his eyes, then carefully brushed Naruto's cheeks with the corner of the hospital blanket. "Sorry. It's just that you make me think Kayaku would have been like you, and then you were dead and then you were alive and then you were almost dead again . . . I promise you, they're happy tears, but . . . I'm getting to be old, you know? You can't keep doing this to me; I really, honestly think I'm on the verge of a heart attack."

Naruto felt guilt stab him. _This is all my fault. If I'd just spoken up from the beginning--even if I'd been thrown into a cell somewhere--it wouldn't have caused this much pain. I was so busy wanting something that wasn't mine that I didn't even think about what it was doing to the people I was trying to love . . ._

For once, Kyuubi offered no scathing told-you-so.

"'M sorry, Dad . . . 'M sorry . . ."

His father sat on the edge of the bed and very gently lifted him to cradle him. "Oh, please don't cry, Little Fox. I didn't mean to scare you. It's my fault I worry so much."

Naruto nuzzled into his arm and squeezed his eyes shut. "No. My faul' . . . _My_ faul'. If 'd tol' tha troof fr'm tha star' . . ."

"Told the truth? You said that before. Does it have anything to do with your strange behavior recently?"

Naruto nodded. "Ever'thin'. I---"

The Fourth put a finger over his lips. "Shh. I _do_ want to hear this, but if you don't mind I think your mother and Sarutobi-sensei should be here, too."

_That's not a good idea, I think._ "Mom migh' na like't, bu' yeah . . ."

"In that case, go back to sleep, okay? It's three a.m. I'll stay here with you."

"Shouldn' yoo take me fer interr'gation?"

"Probably, but you need your rest--you'd only fall asleep there, too, and it's much more comfortable here."

Naruto wanted to argue that it was incorrect conduct, since he had admitted to falsehood, but was too weak and sleepy to do any more than relax and drift off. When he awakened, it was daytime and Tsunade was prodding at him clinically.

"How are you feeling?"

"Good," Naruto replied, stretching languidly.

"Great." She proceeded to remove the monitoring lines from him and then move the monitors themselves away. "Arashi told me you have some kind of confession to make, so it's better to be rested so you can keep your facts and fibs straight. I'm going to leave, but you're being watched, so don't try anything."

"It's not that kind of confession, baba," he informed her sourly. "The only person who can possibly be hurt in this situation, if Konoha turns its back again, is me."

He expected Tsunade to thump him on the head for calling her an old lady, but she only gave him a calculating look. "We'll see," she concluded as she exited the room.

"Hey!" he called, and she poked her head back in for a moment. "Where's Dad?"

She lifted an eyebrow. "Busy." With that, she closed the door.

"Hag," he muttered at the pale walls of the room. "Not that different after all."

He spent the day cautiously climbing in and out of the bed to stretch his legs, then started to practice kata. After nearly a week of convalescence, he needed the exercise to entertain both his body and his mind while he waited for someone to pay him attention. He had considered wandering the hospital corridors, but decided it would not earn him positive points if he left the room.

The door slammed open and a familiar voice screeched, "_Naruto-sama_!"

_Holy shit!_ He jerked around, alarmed, to look at Sakura. "Huh?!"

"It's Mikoto-san!" she reported. "She's gone into labor! Come on!"

"But I'm not supposed t---!"

Sakura lunged in, grabbed his wrist, and yanked him after her. "_Hurry_!"

"I guess you guys are just gonna have to follow me, then!" he called to the room at large before turning to follow Sakura.

The third floor was designated for labor and delivery. In the waiting area of 'Delivery One' were five people. Sasuke stood nervously just in front of a potted plant that was beside the chair Itachi was reclining in. Fugaku was standing slightly off center of the area, amusedly watching the Fourth pace back and forth like a madman. Though the Fourth's anxiety was a bit more than circumstances required, it was the fifth person whose presence Naruto could not _begin_ to justify.

"Shinju?"

She looked up from where she was seated beside Itachi and smiled. "Oh, Naruto! You're all right!"

"What . . . are you doing here?"

"Oh, I had a free day today and Itachi-san was showing me around the Uchiha compound when he was told that his mother had gone into labor. He offered to take me home, but I didn't want him to have to miss this, so I tagged along."

Naruto turned a suspicious glare on Itachi. _How many times could you two have possibly chit-chatted in the past __**five months**__ that you would already be on a first-name basis, you sister-thieving . . . __**thief**?!_ "Why would you be interested in showing her around the compound?"

Itachi, though he was not a mass-murderer, was not meek, either; he was still every bit as powerful and skilled as his counterpart. He met Naruto's eyes squarely and said, "I thought it would be best to acquaint her with people in a controlled environment, which the village is most definitely not. The compound is populated, but not claustrophobically so, and she needs to socialize with adults now that she's done so with children."

_**LIAR**! _someone in Naruto's head roared. _You're very smooth, acting so cool, but I can see **right through** that blinding glow your halo's emitting, you weasel!_ "That's not your responsibility."

Itachi did not so much as blink. "The Hokage is busy with village affairs, the Lady Hotaru is more heavily laden than my mother, and _you_ were unconscious. Who _else_ could do it?"

"Kakashi-sensei," Naruto replied immediately, as though it should have been obvious.

Itachi rolled his eyes and started to respond, but right at that moment a rather unholy howl came from beyond the doors to the delivery room. Itachi and Fugaku looked at the doors, heads cocked identically with faint traces of concern, while the Fourth whimpered weakly. Sasuke tried to duck behind the potted plant and cringed a bit.

Naruto flinched slightly at the sound, but that was all. When he had just turned sixteen, he had helped Sakura deliver the baby of a client's wife out in the middle of a forest. The man had been the traditional type and had not wanted a man watching over his wife. Since all of the other kunoichi had _somehow_ been occupied in one capacity or another--Naruto still believed it was a conspiracy--Tsunade had _ordered_ him to employ his Oiroke no Jutsu "for something _useful_, for once" and placed him under Sakura's command, since she knew all of the real-life dos and don'ts of femininity. The client's wife had gone into labor a few days into the trip and Sakura had very loudly proclaimed--much to what Naruto had later discovered was Kakashi's sadistic delight--that there was no reason to keep on moving because the next town was hours away and the baby was coming _right then_.

Since there had been handmaidens, Sakura had not needed his direct assistance. Instead, she had taken pity on him and placed him on cloth detail, which had kept him at the wife's head and as far away from the actual event as was possible for the mission. Still, the noise had been horrific and the smell, for his fox-enhanced nose, even more so--he may as well have been standing at Sakura's shoulder, for all the good the distance did him. He had also seen _way_ more of the whole process of birth than he had ever wanted to. He had _never_ seen a body lose _so much_ blood in his _life_, let alone _survive_ that loss with only a few days' worth of physical weakness--that was really more from the contractions and exhaustion than the blood loss, it seemed--to show for it. It had given him an entirely new perspective on women's strength, though he most definitely did _not_ appreciate the manner in which the lesson had come. He also spared enough pity to feel really bad for the babies.

_I wonder if I was that ugly when I was born . . ._

He had survived it as well, though, but he had still had to seek out Sakura's company for sympathy--of which there was little--because Kakashi had _snickered_ at him for four days and Sasuke had treated him like a leper for a _solid week_ after the fact. It got to the point where he had been so annoyed that when he caught his rival sidling away from him, he had spit on--or at least _at­_--the other and refer to him solely as 'Chickenshit'. It had made Sasuke furious, of course, but he had not wanted to get close to Naruto, either. Sakura had also sided against Sasuke, though not necessarily with _Naruto_, and Kakashi had merely sat back and read his little pervert's book while his once-students got into what was almost a three-way fistfight.

_Sometimes, I don't think he believes we'd actually kill each other if we got mad enough._

So Naruto had already suffered firsthand the repulsive and nauseating experience of a woman giving birth. In comparison, hearing the sounds from behind closed doors was a vacation. _I'd take that over even being in the same __**room**__ any day._

"We were both there when Mikoto-san went into labor," Sakura explained to Naruto as she rubbed Sasuke's back soothingly. Sasuke stared hard at the wall behind the potted plant. "It was only the three of us there for tea and she had just sat down with us when it happened. I told Sasuke to go get Fugaku-san while I made Mikoto-san comfortable, but . . ." She giggled softly.

Sasuke looked around at her, accusingly and with wounded pride. "It's _not_ funny."

"I never said it was," Sakura defended, but was still smiling.

"Dude," Naruto told him, sighing, "it's not funny, but women think it is because they know what to do about it. They spend virtually their entire childhoods preparing for this, psychologically if not physically. They know the baby doesn't just _come out_--it takes time. _They_ can handle it. _You_ can't. Take your cue from them and don't panic until they do."

"Don't tell him that, killjoy," Itachi put in, "it's more interesting to watch him flounder about like this."

"Creep," Sasuke muttered. "_You_ weren't there."

"As a matter of fact, I _was_," Itachi corrected. "Almost fourteen years ago."

"That's different."

"How?" Itachi asked. "Mother already said that the contractions weren't that bad when they started. You blew it entirely out of proportion--I thought she was hemorrhaging."

"Stop fighting," Fugaku commanded. His voice was not sharp, but it was firm. "Sasuke, you should have trusted your mother's judgement--she probably wants this baby more than any of us do, so she wouldn't have withheld information from you. Itachi, your mother's condition is considerably more delicate this time around--Sasuke didn't have the experience of knowing how bad the situation was or wasn't and none of us really explained it to him; we didn't factor in premature labor well enough."

Chastened, the brothers fell silent.

"When was this?" Naruto finally asked. "I mean, when did Mikoto-basan go into labor?"

"Yesterday afternoon," Sakura answered.

Naruto shot a brief frown at his father, who remained oblivious to it. _That's probably why Dad was so dead asleep when I woke during the night, between worrying about me and worrying about Sasuke's mom._

"That's too long," Sasuke mumbled.

"Not nearly," Naruto replied, scratching his right flank absently. "The baby's probably at least six pounds at this point. Maybe even seven if your mom's been eating all the right stuff and letting herself indulge in a few cravings. Do you have any idea of the size of an exit required for at least six pounds to pass through comfortably? Let me tell you--too big for it to be prudent for a woman to have it. So it hurts a lot and it takes a long time, but it all turns out okay in the end. If it didn't, human beings wouldn't exist."

As if to prove his point, there was a sudden, lusty wail from behind the delivery room doors.

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

I deeply apologize for the grievous abuse of the English language perpetrated in this chapter.

---

I figure that Naruto and Sasuke would give each other nicknames, though they wouldn't exactly be what most would consider _nice_ nicknames (it'd be strange if they were, really). 'Dobe' was obvious, if not inventive, but I picked 'teme' because I was already using 'bastard' for Kyuubi and aside from that, Naruto had used 'teme' a lot whenever he was speaking to or of Sasuke. It's a very weird nickname, true, but someone is free to tell me when Naruto has ever done anything like everybody else.

---

I had a car accident--no one else was involved, fortunately--when I was eighteen (this makes me a statistic, but only half of one, because at the time I was delivering mail, which sort-of-not-quite requires one to drive from the passenger side of the car unless it's a specially-made--read: more expensive than I could possibly afford with only two weeks' worth of pay--model; I am not a tall person, by the way, and it should be noted that I have never had an accident before or since then) and my father got to the hospital about an hour after the accident. Dad is not a particularly emotional man (I, to my dismay, cry very easily, which is often incredibly inconvenient), but he is not ashamed to cry. Well, he was let in to see me and sure enough, he started crying. I had _not_ been crying, oddly--not shock, I don't think, because blunt trauma is nothing I haven't experienced before and I've felt worse pains from falling off a horse--but when he started I felt like the scum of the earth, so _I_ started crying too. So crying's as contagious as laughter, I suppose.

---

If you are hemorrhaging, you are losing a lot of blood that you shouldn't be. It's clearly a very bad thing, possibly lethal if your luck is bad.

---

My mom was in labor with my elder sister for thirty-three hours. That was the longest of we three children, and I am sure it _sucked_ (I've never asked, but I know it wasn't any fun). It's just one of many reasons I am going to avoid children like the plague.

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	44. Myobu

**Author's Notes:** Chapter forty-four! I apologize for the lateness, but I don't promise it won't happen again. All I promise is that I'll update as quickly and as often I can. That said, I really do need to pay a bit more attention to this fic. I'm having so much fun writing a Yondaime mpreg (it's light het, believe it or not, so breathe easy if you aren't a fan of yaoi--you can still read it unless mpreg squicks you that bad) that I'm sort of neglecting _DNT_. But don't worry--_DNT_ **_will_** be completed; it has priority as it's already being posted.

All right, I am officially beginning the**_ Hugs For _****_Naruto Campaign '08_** (but we're starting right now, because the year is nearly over and the political hot-airheads have already _been_ started). Why? I just watched episodes twenty-nine and thirty, and I **_never_** want to see Naruto cry like that **_EVER AGAIN_**. One day, I will find a way to formally adopt that boy, but until then I donate my first hugs to the campaign. And while I'm talking about the episodes, **_OMG!! They animated the Fourth!!_** (By which I mean it was a close-up shot rather than something forty billion miles away.) And damn, if there was still somehow any question about a relation between him and Naruto . . . I mean, good Lord, they look even more alike than ever! Please excuse me while I swoon . . .

Hm. I'm at something of a loss. I just received one marriage proposal, a request to have someone's baby, and an offer to have _my_ baby. Flattering and much appreciated, but I fear I'm not interested in marriage or children. However, I am making a list of such offers, in case I change my mind in the future.

**Jon**: Well, it has been done before, but I haven't seen it done a lot and it's been done well even less. So knock yourself out--I'm game. :)

**m**: Firstly, I'm happy to hear you're having fun (re-)reading and I'm always delighted to read readers' theories! Second--and indeed, more interestingly--that is a _superbly_ fascinating theory (I rather wish I'd thought of it). While you are fundamentally incorrect, you are nonetheless close to the truth. I invite you to keep that theory in mind as you read on--you may yet figure out exactly what's going on. ;)

**Aisuru**: I'm pleased to know you've enjoyed _Door Number Two_! I very much appreciate your critique--you didn't say anything others haven't said before, but I don't mind a polite reminder every now and then since my mind is like a sieve anyway; I'm as likely to forget as to remember. It's also quite true, what you say, and in hindsight it's obvious, but, well . . . my hindsight is as bad as my foresight--both need glasses or contacts. Or a guide dog. Possibly all three. As for completing _DNT_, I know exactly of what you speak, having been 'dumped' by many a favorite story, and I don't want to add to their numbers (I think it helps that most of the story is already written before I start posting--less stressful that way). Though I fear my confidence in my action scenes is still shaky, I appreciate your feelings on the matter.

**Firiel**: I totally get you. I do _not_ find the really buff Bowflex guys to be the least bit attractive. It's like they took a testosterone shower or something. Now subtle musculature on the other hand . . . hubba hubba. XD

**Dragoness Triplets**: It is something like that. I like those kinds of stories too--especially the ones with the Fourth in them! Though I suppose there'll be a slew of Fourth-related fics now that his name is known, which won't necessarily be a good thing. :S Sometimes it's better to remain anonymous . . .

**1bzwriter**: Thank you very much for your review! It seems we share a lot of likes--writing the Fourth this way is a joy because he's rarely portrayed in any situation other than Kyuubi's attack on Konoha, which is an inherently somber, angsty scenario. I love being able to make him a usually _happy_ person for once. I also love Naruto and I don't think he's as much of a moron as a lot of real and animated people tend to think, so I do what I can to show off what he doesn't always display well himself. 8D

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 3,140

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 9/30/07

**Disclaimer:** No.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

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Chapter Forty-Four - Myobu

* * *

Every head in the waiting area turned to stare at the delivery room doors with bated breath. A minute later, one door swung open and Tsunade appeared with what appeared to be a roll of white blanket. Arashi was hovering at her shoulder instantly, peering curiously at the infant as though it was his own. Tsunade ignored him and handed the baby to Fugaku. "Congratulations, it's a girl." She frowned and added, "_No more_. Her uterus will rupture, without question. There are teas she can drink, pills and herbs she can take. I'll have a list ready by the time she's well enough to leave. _No_. _More_."

Fugaku dipped his head acquiescently.

She immediately turned on Arashi and barked, "She's _fine_!"

Arashi sighed heavily in relief and gave her space.

"And if you even _try_ to follow me into that room," she threatened, shaking a fist in his face, "I will _knock_ your brain right out of your skull, boy. I'm a med-nin--I'm _the_ med-nin--and I can tell whether or not someone is dying without you 'helping' me."

She reentered 'Delivery One' and Fugaku looked over at Itachi, who smirked and pointed rather languidly at Sasuke. "I think _he_ should have the honor."

That was how Sasuke found his arms full of baby. His reaction was instantaneous--his back went stiff and straight and his hair stood a little more on end as he gazed with terrified eyes at the pudgy pink face.

"Oh!" Sakura scolded. "She's a _baby_, Sasuke! She's not poisonous!" She reached in and traced the infant's features to prove it.

"No," Itachi agreed with a smirk, "but babies _are_ known as the perfect parasite."

Sakura glared at him. "That's evil!"

Naruto countered, "Babies take everything they want, give nothing useful, and are almost impossible to get rid of in the meantime. That's a parasite, in a nutshell."

"How do _you_ know all of this?" Sasuke demanded.

Naruto waved a hand and grinned vapidly in response. "Three-year-old sister, remember? I got the sex talk before I even hit double digits and was given access to all sorts of material that I probably shouldn't have laid eyes on until I was at least _your_ age. That kind of psychological trauma doesn't exactly go away."

"It didn't bother you _that_ much, did it?"

Naruto turned to his father, who looked a little alarmed. "I'm exaggerating, Dad."

Kyuubi snarled violently in the back of his mind. _It's time!_

"For what?" Naruto asked blankly, and drew six confused stares.

His answer came in the form of a ghostly shriek beyond the hospital's walls.

_The myobu . . ._

Kyuubi cackled. _How ironic! I destroyed your village on the day of your birth and now a myobu is going to destroy your village on the day of a close friend's sibling's birth! Your mere __**presence**__ endangers everyone around you! Ahahahahaha!_

Naruto paid no attention. He was looking at his father, whose entire demeanor had altered seconds after the myobu's cry sounded.

Arashi turned to Fugaku, who was looking to him for orders. "You stay here with Mikoto until or unless Tsunade says she's fully stable. Even then, maybe you should stay--she shouldn't be getting up and she'll probably try." He indicated Itachi and Sasuke a bit reluctantly. "I may need them, though."

Fugaku nodded. "Give the word and I'll call out the MP's full force immediately."

"I appreciate that. I'll probably need them." Arashi started to move down the corridor, but paused and looked at Naruto steadily, his gaze brooking no argument. "You stay here too."

"What?!" Naruto protested anyway. "But I'm a---"

"I know what you are! I'm telling you to _stay here_!"

_He can't do this!_ Naruto raged pointlessly. _He **needs** me out there just like he needs everyone else!_

_He's the big bad Hokage who knows best,_ Kyuubi reminded with a snort. _Let him make his fool's mistakes._

Naruto ignored the kitsune except to say, _Tell the punk it's his time to shine--we might just need his help later. And ask him if he's ready to die, just in case we fail._

_He says,_ Kyuubi reported, _that he feels he's much too young to die, but he'll do it if it will protect your mother and sister._

_It most certainly will._ Naruto's attention snapped back to his father. "This is just because I'm your son!"

Arashi grabbed his shoulders and squeezed them probably harder than he intended, but either way Naruto glared at him without flinching. "Son or not, you're _injured_! You're nothing but bait for that thing!"

"You don't know that!" Naruto shouted at him. "You don't know anything _about_ me anymore! You haven't known me since this body was first attacked!"

"I know that _this body_ is _hurt_! I know it's overloaded with chakra!" Arashi shook him sharply. "What use are you like this?!"

_Ouch,_ Kyuubi noted cheerfully, clearly enjoying the argument. _What a bastard._

Furious, Naruto fisted the lapels of his father's overcoat and yanked him down and closer. "How about _your_ use, _Dad_?!" he hissed. "You're going to use that _goddamn_ shiki fuujin and _die_ and you're going to leave Mom and Nyoko and the twins and me . . . the other me . . . _FUCK_! It doesn't matter _which_ me it is! It _won't_ solve the problem--the _clerics_ are the problem! If you kill that myobu, the clerics are _still going to be here_! They'll just find another kitsune to enslave, like they've been trying to do with Kyuubi, and they'll sic _that_ one on Konoha, too! And you won't be able to do a thing about it because you're _dead_ because you were too fucking _stupid_ to let me fight! I _can_ fight, damn it, and I _can_ win! Even like this!"

Arashi pushed on his shoulders to separate them. "You are _twelve years old_! What the hell do _you_ know about fighting kitsune?!"

"Way more than you, _obviously_, if your only plan is to seal it rather than release it!"

"How can you _possibly_ release it?! The clerics _know its name_!"

"I fucking _know_ that they know its name, damn it! But there _is_ a way and right now _I'm_ the only one who can use it!"

"And what makes _you_ so special?!" Arashi spat, anxiety and impatience making him harsh.

"_Goddamn it, old man_!" Naruto snarled. "I've been _living_ with this asshole for _seventeen years_--you think I don't know a _little_ bit about his kind?!"

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about!"

"_That's my point EXACTLY_!" Naruto snapped, furiously impatient. "Now _let me FIGHT_!"

The Fourth moved suddenly. Naruto saw the motion and started to duck, but a sharp chop to the back of his neck instantly incapacitated him. His father's arms lifted around his crumpling frame and cradled him gently as he fell. Through the haze of his induced weakness he heard the older blond say, "Please take care of him for me--I'll have to recall his guards."

He lost consciousness completely at that point. When he awakened, he was lying on a set of seats in the waiting area and his head was resting in Shinju's lap. She was running the tips of her fingers through his hair while she spoke to Itachi, who had decided to stand at some point. He was the first one to notice that Naruto was awake.

"Naruto-sama."

Shinju looked down and smiled, her hand stilling. "Oh, Naruto!"

"Where's Dad?" Naruto asked.

"Long gone," Itachi replied. He watched Naruto roll to his feet and added, "If you think you're going to go after him, I'm afraid I'm going to have to stop you."

Naruto smirked and lifted his hands, noting that Sakura, Sasuke, and Fugaku were not there with them. _Makes my job easier._ "In that case, I'm afraid I'm going to have to force my way. I've surpassed you already--you can't stop me."

One of Itachi's eyebrows rose as he settled into a stance. "You think so?"

"Oh, please don't!" Shinju cried.

"It's okay, Shinju," Naruto assured her, never taking his eyes from Itachi. "We're not going to kill each other. In fact, I'm not even going to lay a hand on him."

Itachi's Sharingan faded into existence and began to whirl. "Unless you attack to harm me, Naruto-sama, you'll fail."

Naruto's smirk widened and his hands formed a familiar seal. "If you say so. _Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_!"

Instantly, hundreds of Narutos packed into the waiting area and spilled into the corridor on either side. For a few seconds they shoved and cackled and traded places with one another, but when they finished each one grinned victoriously and the pack split, running down both corridors in search of an exit. Itachi looked both ways, temporarily stumped, then performed the same motion he had just witnessed. A single shadow clone appeared at his side and without even looking at one another, each ran after one of the two groups of Narutos.

Shinju watched anxiously as the Itachis vanished around the corners at either end of the corridor, ruthlessly kicking and punching the Narutos in the back of the packs, who unerringly vanished in thick clouds of chakra. When the Narutos and Itachis were gone--though she could still hear the clones popping--she sat down and stared at the floor in worry, only then noticing that there was an extra plant in the waiting area, behind where Itachi had been.

Sure enough, it disappeared in a cloud of chakra to reveal Naruto. "Heh heh! Sucker! And I even got rid of some of that overloaded chakra!" He smiled at Shinju as he ran to the wall she sat against and opened a window nearby. "See? Didn't lay a finger on him."

She nodded, clearly confused by how he had managed to do everything he had done, his ninja certification aside.

"Wait here for him, okay?" Naruto instructed her kindly. "He'll take care of you."

"But where are you going?"

He frowned at the sky. "I'm going to save Dad."

With that, he was out the window and on the hospital roof. _Ooh, bad memory . . . Stupid bastard Sasuke . . ._ He put it aside, though--it was the distant past and Sasuke was back, safe and sound--and focused on the western wall of the village. Beyond, far from the village as an average human traveller could claim but only a small leap for a giant fox, was the myobu. _I've never seen fur so pure a white!_

_She is one of Inari's messengers,_ Kyuubi noted. _Inari must be very angry that she has been enslaved this way._

The myobu suddenly thrust her head downward, but seemed to come to an undesired stop. Even from that distance, Naruto could hear the howl of a rasengan. "He's . . . _IDIOT_! What the _fuck_ does he think he's doing?! _KYUUBI-NEESAN_!"

Almost instantly, the nine-tailed vixen landed on the roof beside him; he did not bother to ask her where she had come from. "Hurry!"

Naruto swung himself onto her back and had barely gotten settled when she launched off and began to hop lightly from rooftop to rooftop. In moments they were across the village and at the wall, where frightened but determined ninja were gathering. It was easy to tell which of the ninja had not known that the Fourth had a close alliance with kitsune; they were the ones who retreated in alarm at the sight of their Hokage's son mounted on a nine-tail as though it was only a particularly hairy horse.

"Somebody tell me there's some good news!" he shouted, so he would be heard over the myobu's raging.

"'Fraid we're fresh out of that stuff," Obito called back as he shouldered his way through the other shinobi, Kakashi behind him. "It's looking pretty grim from here." He looked Naruto over. "Aren't you supposed to be in the hospital?"

Naruto shrugged. "Dad had a little lapse of common sense and told me to stay behind, so I checked myself out." Obito lifted an eyebrow and Naruto snorted. "As if you could stop me anyway." He patted Kyuubi-vixen. "The only way I go down is fighting, and she's no slouch, either."

"Kid, you're barely a genin and I think she'd listen to Sensei before she listened to you."

"The circumstances have changed in the past few months," Kyuubi-vixen informed him, and several surrounding shinobi who had been brave enough to stay near her scrambled away, shocked that she could speak. "Arashi is putting himself in danger needlessly."

"Kyuubi-sama," Kakashi said carefully, "a Hokage---"

"I know the purpose of a Kage!" Kyuubi-vixen snarled angrily, baring her fangs. "I may not be hairless, but that doesn't make me stupid!"

"I didn't---"

"I'm well aware you didn't, otherwise I would have killed you already for such airheaded disrespect." She may not have been angry, but she bared her fangs at their perceived stupidity. "Ridiculous mortal _fools_. I am a kyuubi kitsune--a tenko--and I did not become such by enslaving myself. Nor do I consent to being pushed about by mere humans. _I_ choose my alliance. I owe Arashi, yes, but in this case I help him by protecting him from his own single-mindedness. If you try to stop us, I _will_ kill you."

Obito shrugged at Kakashi. "I guess that's that, then." He still turned a reproachful gaze to Naruto. "If this makes him suffer in _any_ way--I don't care if you _are_ his son--I will curse your vile little soul to the deepest and most unimaginable of hells."

Naruto laughed mirthlessly and waved dismissively. "Too late--already been there. And believe it or not, I have every intention of going back to it."

"When?" Kakashi asked.

Obito tilted his head, confused. "Who cares when? _Why_?"

"'Cause it's home," Naruto answered. "Now butt out of it--I have a battle I need to fight."

"How could you possibly?" Obito asked with a snort. "I'll give you props for starting with another tenko, but they'll only stalemate and do _more_ damage."

Naruto grinned secretively and patted his stomach. "Ah, but I have _two_ tenko, and one of them is immensely fond of blood. He's more than ready to fight." He focused on Kyuubi-vixen's ruff and sank his hands into the thick red fur for grip. "Let's go, neesan. They know what they're supposed to do."

Kyuubi-vixen lunged off the wall and down into the trees.

"While I get the myobu's attention, you grab Dad and take him back to Konoha," Naruto instructed. "If I fail, he really will have to seal it."

_"I could fight alongside you,"_ Kyuubi-vixen countered, not bothering to use the human-language since it was not needed.

Naruto shook his head. "I need you to hang back as back-up. If Kyuubi and I die, it won't be a big loss, but you belong here--your presence is important."

_"I refuse to sit and do nothing,"_ Kyuubi-vixen pressed. _"I have power to offer."_

"I know," Naruto agreed patiently, knowing what it was like to not be allowed to fight. "And Dad might need it--that's why I want you to wait. But if you're going to insist, at _least_ wait until Kyuubi and I can't handle it anymore. Then we'll do a tag-team thing and you can take our place."

_". . . Very well."_

"Thank you. I know you know that doing this will do a lot of damage to the countryside. Is there any way you can put up a barrier to protect Konoha and the crops?"

_"I can, but I will be a less efficient fighter if I have to support a barrier __**and**__ concentrate on my opponent."_

Naruto smiled grimly. "Then Kyuubi and I will just have to win without help."

They finally reached the place where the myobu was. Before her, inches from her fangs, stood the Fourth. There was an active rasengan cradled within his right hand, swirling violently against the myobu's red chakra and causing violet sparks to flicker from where the two sources of chakra met. The sight was both magnificent and frightening.

Naruto could do nothing but stare. To be that close to the myobu's snapping jaws took something most people did not possess. _Either he has huge balls or he's lost his mind._ _Did he ever do this with you?_

_Only once,_ Kyuubi answered, too excited about taking a turn in the sun to be particularly grumpy about losing that battle. _I came __**so close**__ to biting him cleanly into halves and bathing the earth in his blood--it was maddening to have failed at it! He is only an insect, but I will give him credit for being a very __**fast**__ insect, the little cockroach._

Kyuubi-vixen slammed to a stop and dropped her head, throwing Naruto from her back and toward the warring superpowers. He formed a rasengan in each hand and joined the battle just as his father's ran out of energy and vanished with a blast of disturbed air. The Fourth, exhausted from hours of one-on-one battle, recoiled and squeezed his eyes shut, surely knowing that there was no way to escape with the speed and proximity of the myobu and no time to even form another rasengan. That was when Naruto landed hard and skidded in front of him as he thrust his two rasengan against the massive kitsune's face. She shrieked in fury at the delay of her victory and Naruto pressed that much harder against her.

"Crazy old man!" Naruto snarled over his shoulder. "That was even stupider than sealing her!"

Arashi stared at the back of Naruto's head in bewilderment, deaf to his son's admonition. _How could he possibly know the Rasengan?! Jiraiya hasn't been in Konoha long enough for him to learn and I know __**I**__ didn't teach him! And how could he actually make one in his submissive hand? The control required . . . he would have had to have been working with it regularly for at least four years--probably closer to seven!_

"I think it's about time you made a strategic retreat, Dad," Naruto decided, and his voice somehow seemed a little bit rougher to Arashi, whose attention was redirected by it. The thought was validated when Naruto turned to look back at him. A long fang poked absently from behind taut lips, cat-like red eyes glared hatefully, and the tiny whisker-marks--once cute to him--had burned through the make-up concealing them and turned a vicious black as they lengthened into what could not be mistaken for anything _but_ true whiskers. He radiated death and bloodlust in suffocating waves.

Suddenly, nothing about his son was familiar to Arashi. Everything that had been Naruto was gone, replaced by some kind of . . . personified killer instinct. _He looks . . . **possessed**. No, that's wrong. He **is** possessed. Who--or **what**--__has he become?_

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To Be Continued . . .

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**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

Why did Tsunade deliver Sasuke's baby sister? Because she was there, mainly, and possibly because Arashi begged her to, since the pregnancy was high-risk.

Bonus story I forgot to include last chapter: My younger sister's boyfriend is a paramedic, and once she asked him if he had ever delivered or helped deliver a baby. He said he had--three times. My sister was about to coo over the romance of the whole idea when he added quite frankly, "It's disgusting."

---

Somehow, I don't think Sasuke would be very good with babies. Not because he would make an effort to dislike them (which I would not be surprised at, if he did), but just because it wasn't something he'd been trained to do, so he'd feel awkward and out of his league about it. Meanwhile, babies--as Mother Nature's will decrees in this sort of thing--would _love_ Sasuke.

---

It's not that I think the MP aren't under the Hokage's control, it's just that it seems the MP are sort of a branch of shinobi unto themselves--they don't go on assignments unless the full-time ninja are all out because they're busy keeping peace and order in the village so nobody else has to. So if the Hokage said, "I need you guys!" they'd only send a few who were off duty to act as go-betweens and Arashi would have to fill out requisition forms and stuff. On the other hand, if some ranking member of the MP said, "The Hokage needs us!" they'd be able to figure out how many of them were needed right then. It cuts through the bureaucracy, is all. And no, the myobu's presence would not be enough to do it--the MP, in this case, would also be the ones responsible for making sure all of the civilians got to the safe zones. They wouldn't have the time or the personnel to spare to ask if their help is needed elsewhere until after they were done.

---

Naruto claiming he was stronger than parallel!Itachi is (likely, but) not necessarily true, even if by that point he was stronger that canon!Itachi. He "outsmarted" Itachi purely because Itachi had no idea of his occasionally underhanded (if there is such a thing among ninja) tactics, which he would not have learned from the Fourth or the Third as Itachi might predict.

---

Inari is a god/goddess (s/he is said to assume either gender, or an androgynous form, as desired) who has represented or protected or granted various things (rice, in particular) over the centuries. Because kitsune are Inari's helpers, Inari has been said to take the form of a fox with many tails (this is a widespread belief, but both Buddhist and Shinto priests discourage it). All of Inari's messengers are white kitsune, and in artwork Inari is very often seen flanked by white foxes or riding a white fox.

Something interesting I noted: In the "Answers To Questions" in chapter six, I said that black and white kitsune were both good omens, while red kitsune could be either good or bad omens. That information came from a website that heavily references the book _Kitsune: Japan's Fox of Mystery, Romance, and Humor_ by Kiyoshi Nozaki. Despite that, I just stumbled across an essay on Japanese lore, where it was written that: "A black fox is good luck, a white fox calamity; three foxes together portend disaster." So I'm slightly confused, because why would white foxes be a bad sign if they are servants of Inari, and all servants of Inari are kind (presumably, Inari would not always be so angry with people that the white foxes would come to represent tragedy so readily)? On the other hand, three foxes together portend disaster, and it was after Naruto stumbled across the triplets that all the bad stuff started to happen, right?

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Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	45. Kyuubi no Youko

Thanks to **The Watcher and Reader**. The '-kun' suffix is _not_ an honorific. I don't know why I wrote that--it must have been a lapse of common sense--but I've fixed it now. And thanks to **HaiJu** for being smarter than me--that funky prayer is gone now.

**Author's Notes:** Chapter forty-five! Woohoo! Chapter forty-five is out exactly **_one_** **_week_** later! You're welcome (and lucky). Don't necessarily expect this to happen again, but it'd be nice if it did, wouldn't it? Enjoy part one of the Naruto versus Myobu smackdown! (Hope I did it right . . .) There are no blood-and-guts descriptions, but this _is_ rated 'T' and I think I'm already technically wrong with the volume of curses I use as it is.

Today's pointless request: If you are at a boarding school or living on a college campus, do _not_ stuff napkins into your drinking glass that is either empty or has a drink in it. It's not cute. And don't cram the bottom of said glass into something like leftover peanut butter or jelly or ice cream or salad dressing or ketchup. That's not cute either. Whether at a boarding school or on a college campus, you are _way_ the hell too old to be doing rude, unsophisticated, and utterly juvenile shit like that just because you aren't required to clean up after yourself. If you wouldn't do it in front of your parents, there's a reason, and dishwashers have to wash more than your meal tray, glass, and silverware. Thank you.

**DemonEyesBob**: Then I hope I don't disappoint!

**bitemark**: First off, that's a fascinating name. Anyway, you're actually right about the theme music. Moreso in this chapter than the previous one but still applicable, I listened to specific songs from the _Mononoke Hime_ soundtrack for various scenes.

**Wolfkun**: I don't get involved in RPs, actually. Maybe we used the same source?

**Carrie**: I'm happy you enjoyed! What occurred there is the same thing that has happened in other chapters, Naruto was simply more 'in touch' this most recent time, so he was able to respond and interact more. The fic I referenced in the first chapter can now be found in the favorite stories section in my profile. Please note, however, that _Parallels_ is a **_yaoi_** fic, so if that bothers you you probably shouldn't read it. If that _doesn't_ bother you and you read it, do remember to leave a review, of course.

**Jelp**: My right thumb didn't come out well, but the lady left it. My problem was that the scanner was set too high and I had to stand on my toes so she could roll my finger across the scanner properly. That's probably why we had to redo my fingers so often before they came out acceptably.

**Shima**: How much does he know? Virtually nothing.

**Shelly**: I appreciate your concern, and yes, I am aware. I have taken precautions.

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 2,915

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 10/7/07

**Disclaimer:** No.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all--one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Forty-Five - Kyuubi no Youko

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"Naru---"

Naruto did not wait for him to finish. "_Kyuubi-neesan_!"

Arashi started to turn to ask Kyuubi where she had been--he had been waiting for her to assist him--but she forced her head between his legs so that he slid onto her shoulders and turned to dash away. "Wh . . . Wha . . .?! Kyuubi, wait! What about Naruto?!"

"He can take care of himself," the vixen informed him calmly.

"He's a _boy_!"

Kyuubi looked over her shoulder at him in disbelief. "You saw all of that and you _still_ think he's nothing more than a child?"

"He's possessed by something, right? He's still my son!"

She rolled her eyes and slowed down, then turned to face back the way they had come and came to a stop. They could just barely see Naruto and the myobu through the trees. "He is not your son any longer. Not the son you raised."

"How could h---"

Arashi watched Naruto suddenly release the two rasengan with a powerful shove and dash out of the way. The myobu's face crashed into the earth and Naruto jumped onto the long white head as she withdrew it. She could feel his weight on her, though, and shook herself. Naruto leaped away into the air and then held his right hand to his face, curled similarly to how most fire jutsu were performed.

"_Katon_! _Housenka no Jutsu_! _Ryuuseiu Tenkei_!"

The myobu laughed humorlessly. "Pitiful mortal boy. Such little fires cannot affect me." She casually exhaled, snuffing out the dozen small fireballs with ease.

Naruto grinned, his inhuman fangs bared more than was truly necessary. "Stupid bitch."

The myobu twitched in surprise. Hidden within each flame was a rasengan, their perfect roundness allowing their trajectories to go unaffected by the kitsune's lazy breath. The brilliant blue orbs peppered the myobu's long face and she squealed as her fur and skin were twisted by the spheres' rotations. When the rotations were stopped by the friction from the contact with the fox, each released its remaining chakra in a sudden burst.

The myobu howled in pain.

"And just one more," Naruto laughed madly, "before the fireworks _really_ get started!" He drew his right arm back. "_Fuuton_!"

Arashi stared in shock as yet another rasengan began to form in the boy's hand, though it was not a matter of how many of them Naruto was using in so short a time--Arashi had still used almost twice as many in a single day--since a fully-formed rasengan was self-sustaining and thus not limited in the same way Kakashi's chidori was. _He said 'Fuuton'! Not only does he know the Rasengan, but he knows how to boost it with his elemental resonance! I barely figured that out the other year--where the __**hell**__ have I been while he's been doing this?!_

Naruto's rasengan was a violet color--_Is he using the demonic chakra Tsunade-basan said he was producing?_--and after a moment it compressed itself slightly and the wind he had started to generate began to form into four angled wings. When it was steady and whirling like a furious electric fan, Naruto dove on the myobu. "_Rasenshuriken_!"

_**WHAT**__?! What is __**THAT**?!_

The myobu could tell she was in danger and tried to turn away, but in her scramble to get to safety she exposed her flank. Naruto ruthlessly zeroed in on the spot and thrust his occupied hand against it. The myobu howled again as the attack sliced into her over and over. She finally managed to leap away, but not without considerable pain to herself.

"I will _not_ let this be another Konoha!" Naruto swore loudly at her.

_What does __**that**__ mean?_ Arashi wondered. _This_ _**is**__ Konoha! The __**only**__ Konoha!_

"Fool," another voice, using Naruto's mouth, spat. The voice was rougher and angrier, though, and not something Naruto could create at his age. It, however, shared Arashi's sentiment. "This _is_ Konoha."

"Shut up!" Naruto snarled. "You know what I mean! I won't let this be another Konoha, and _you_ are going to help me keep that promise!" He landed on the ground finally and began to form seals quickly as the myobu turned to strike back at him for his dangerous accuracy. "All right, you bastard fox--it's your turn to work. Don't fuck this up unless you never want out again for the rest of my life." He leaped into the air and curled forward. "_Konbi Henge_!"

There was a large explosion of chakra smoke that expanded rapidly but did not lose its cohesion. Arashi watched it and jumped when a huge red paw-hand burst from the cloud and slammed into the earth. Another followed, then another and another. A _shrush_ sound introduced the nine long red tails that began to wave about with wild abandon and a peace-shattering howl seared the air. The chakra dissipated and Arashi was at last able to see what had taken his son's place--what Naruto had _turned into_.

It was a tenko, tall and red, and was far wilder-looking than either Kyuubi or the myobu, who both had fluffy tails and coats that were obviously well cared for. Its red eyes glowed with a mad, focused intensity and it let out a second howl that made the tiny hairs on the back of Arashi's neck stand on end.

"Ah ha ha! _Finally_!" it snarled, eyes roaming the surrounding terrain. "_Freedom_! What a shame it's conditional--I feel like _killing_ something!"

Arashi stiffened in alarm as a red gaze pass over him, then abruptly returned. The vertical pupil, easily Arashi's height, visibly contracted and then expanded to a near-perfect roundness before assuming a normal shape.

"Like _you_," it purred, eyes glinting dangerously.

"Keep your eyes on your business," Kyuubi snapped. "His death would mean nothing if you took revenge against him."

"Oh," was the silky response, "but it would _feel_ good."

The myobu, beyond the new tenko's line of sight, lurched forward soundlessly to bite. The tenko twisted toward her as it snapped eight of its tails against their nearest neighbors. Fire sparked momentarily and it opened its mouth, covering the myobu's face with fire at point-blank range. She reared back in panic, but her fur was not scorched.

"Fuck," the tenko spat. "This is just a simple illusion. _Boy_! Let me have my power!" It swiped the myobu away and cocked its head, then bared its fangs. "We had a _deal_, boy! Don't tell me you're getting cold feet already!" It paused again. "That's better!"

Suddenly, the ground around the tenko's feet began to change rapidly. The grass withered and the trees wilted and lost their leaves. The earth dried and cracked.

"What's going on?!" Arashi cried, observing with wide eyes the death of everything as it began to extend in all directions.

Kyuubi took a few shy steps backward from the spreading death, then wheeled away and began to run again. "It is a form of his power. His existence is no longer tangible--to become so he must draw life from the earth and all it sustains."

"Naruto?!"

"He will be fine. His life is required for the other to exist at all, so the other will take care to preserve him. You should worry about yourself for once."

Arashi looked over his shoulder--the death was right behind them. "What about Konoha? The citizens? Hotaru and Nyoko?!"

"I have made preparations for this. I can assure you that Konoha will be out of harm's way. Stay with me."

Arashi faced forward and bowed his head, then murmured a quiet prayer. He was not that religious--ninja tended not to be--but Hotaru had always insisted that it was important to say one of the established prayers, even if it was only ever used in an emergency situation. Since it was about Naruto and not himself, he figured that there was no harm in it and that Hotaru would feel better if he saw her and told her he had.

As they reached the walls that surrounded and protected Konoha, Kyuubi leaped upward and to the top of the wall. The ninja hastily cleared a spot for her, but instead, she landed on an invisible barrier. A few waves of demonic chakra rippled from her feet and she shifted, then took a careful step forward, then another, until she was apparently walking on air toward the wall and the ninja on it.

Arashi looked down through a reddish haze. "Is this safe?"

"My chakra permeates everything within the barrier," Kyuubi answered. "It will support me whether or not I command it to, and it will protect this village."

"Oh." He looked at the wall and then at the ninja lined up there, watching him for orders. He waited, and sure enough his students quickly found their way to him. He raised his voice to be heard over the sound of kitsune battling. "Everyone! I want you to look at what's happening to the land! The life is being sucked from it and anything that touches it! We will be protected from it, but we _must_ remain within the barrier! Squads two and five are to go to the safe zones where the civilians have been gathered and explain this--there's no telling how long we'll have to wait before the earth is no longer a danger to us!"

"What about the tenko?!" someone called fearfully.

"There're two of them now!" someone else agreed.

"For the time being, we _have_ to be patient! This is not yet our fight!" Arashi turned to see how the war was progressing. Tufts of red and white fur were flying all over. He returned his gaze to his subordinates. "The red one is our ally"--_As much an ally as something so bloodthirsty can be . . ._--"so if he falls, it is our turn to battle!"

On either side, other voices passed on the message.

"Squad two! Squad five! Go to the civilian . . .!"

"If the red tenko falls . . .!"

Kyuubi suddenly snarled and turned towards Arashi, but then stopped--"Oh. It's you. I'm not a carriage horse, you know."--and faced forward once more.

"Huh?" Arashi turned to look behind him and jumped. "Sarutobi-sensei?! When did you get here?!"

The Third chuckled from his seat on Kyuubi's hips. "Just now. I thought I'd pass along some information that will help you focus."

Instantly, oblivious to what his predecessor had actually said, Arashi assumed the worst had happened. "Hotaru?!"

"No. She's frightened enough that I think she's _too_ scared to go into labor at this point. I was going to tell you that she and Nyoko are safe in zone one with Mikoto. Tsunade was giving both Hotaru and Mikoto a quick check-up when I left." Arashi sighed heavily in relief. "Naruto, however . . ."

Arashi pressed the toes of his left foot very gently into Kyuubi's ribs. She turned herself sideways obediently and he pointed across the dead earth at the warring tenko. "He's out there. The red one."

"You mean _that_ is Naruto?"

Arashi nodded. "I don't know quite what happened . . . It was a konbi henge, but what resulted . . . wasn't Naruto at all. It was something . . ."--he frowned and shook his head slightly--". . . very evil . . ."

"He is me," Kyuubi said.

Arashi blinked and looked at the back of Kyuubi's head. "What do you mean?"

The vixen snorted in annoyance. "I mean exactly what I said, idiot. The red kitsune is me--though a male version of me--from another time and place. He is the example of what would have happened to me if you had not assisted me when we first met."

"_Another time and place_?! How did _Naruto_ find him?!"

"Naruto will tell you that--I know only the vaguest details of the story."

"So it seems those marks on his cheeks were a sign of him being in _kitsunetsuki_ . . .?" Sarutobi mused thoughtfully.

Arashi turned to him, alarmed. "Kitsu . . . Could that have been why he's been acting so strange and saying weird things?!"

"Possibly."

"No," Kyuubi corrected, annoyed. "Both of you should stop your speculating before you cause your brains to melt. It's not that simple."

"Then what is it?!" Arashi demanded, fisting his hands in Kyuubi's ruff and yanking on it impatiently. "Damn you, fox! _Tell me_!"

Kyuubi whirled and bit down on Arashi's ankle. Hard. He yelped and let her go to cradle his stinging leg. "I will _not_!" she snarled. "If I do, all _you_ will do is ask questions I don't know the answers to! Now _shut up_ and wait until that boy is prepared to explain! You were too stupid to pursue his sudden odd behaviors earlier, and now you must pay the price!"

"But if it can help us---!"

"It cannot."

Arashi sighed in defeat and looked at his predecessor. "If Naruto fails, I'll have to seal the myobu . . . I'll need your help."

Sarutobi nodded. "I'll prepare."

He vanished and Arashi looked across Fire Country at the two clashing tenko even as his thoughts drifted to blond hair and blue eyes that perfectly matched his own. Eyes that had never had the chance to see the world he had lived in for so many years. ". . . What would you do if you were here . . .?"

Kyuubi trotted upward for a while and finally hauled herself onto the top of the barrier, then moved to stand at its apex, facing the battle. The myobu lunged and Arashi watched Naruto-tenko form four very _large_ lanterns around himself. They began to orbit him, eventually moving so quickly that he seemed to be caged in a disk of flames, and then wobbled. He jumped at the myobu and his ring of fire slashed her chest at several angles before fizzling out.

The myobu, deflected, landed on the barren earth and snapped eight of her tails together, causing a crack of thunder, then lifted her head as if to howl at the clouds, though she made no sound. Instantly, a massive bolt of lightning dropped from the overcast sky and squarely onto Naruto-tenko's shoulders. Naruto-tenko stiffened as he was electrocuted and staggered when he was released seconds later. His fur was scorched black at the tips, making him appear to have sable fur in places.

As Naruto-tenko attacked the raging myobu, Arashi heard the sharp _crack_ of a summoned creature abruptly displacing open air. Behind him, Katsuyu had taken up a defensive position just inside Kyuubi's barrier. There were two more of the same noise and on either side of him there appeared a huge orange toad and a long purple snake.

"Hey! What's going on?!" Arashi called.

Manda extended himself along the barrier, bringing both his head and Orochimaru closer. "We are here to help you in this fight, Arashi-kun," the reptile purred, tongue flicking out and emphasizing the suffix.

"Sarutobi-sensei sent us to assist you," Orochimaru explained as he walked to the end of Manda's snout to be heard over the fox-screams. He was dressed in the full Leaf jounin apparel at that moment and Arashi knew that it was not often that he was so clad. It was the proof that though he had been passed over--even if only after considerable deliberation--for the position of Yondaime Hokage, he was still going to protect Konoha fiercely.

"I'm afraid I don't know what to tell you . . ."

"He has already filled us in on the details," Orochimaru assured him, smiling reassuringly. "We'll be waiting in case you need us."

Arashi smiled weakly in return. "Thanks, Orochimaru-jisan, but I hope it won't come to that."

"Either way, we will be waiting."

Manda, sensing the end of the conversation, began to withdraw. "Hey, Oro-chan. For me to sit through this, I want a hundred . . . no . . . a hundred _thousand_ oranges. And make sure that they're the seedless kind--I hate chewing on the seeds."

"One hundred thousand is too many," Orochimaru replied with a frown. "You want to break me? Ten thousand."

"Eighty thousand!"

"Twenty thousand."

"Seventy thousand! No less!"

They left Arashi's earshot then, but he did not have peace for long.

" Excuse _me_!" Katsuyu cried indignantly. "You needn't shove!"

Arashi twisted about and stared. Running along the barrier's outer wall were hundreds of kitsune. They were of every element and color and tail-count and all, presumably, had been living in Fire Country under Kyuubi's government. They were all yammering at once, but Kyuubi was apparently able to distinguish who was saying what, as she never called for order.

"They are here to help us in any way they can," Kyuubi reported as they formed ranks on either side of her.

"What?" Arashi asked blankly. "I mean . . . _why_?"

"Because they owe you first and foremost for letting them live in this country and me for allowing them to remain."

For the first time, looking at all of the determined fox-faces that were focused on him in a way that was not unlike how Naruto had looked at him when things seemed so grim, Arashi felt a little hope. _. . . Maybe we'll come out of this okay after all._

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

**

* * *

**

****

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

Yes, Naruto has stolen Sasuke's technique and then changed it to suit his tastes. This is both an instance of my genius and my inability to come up with something nobody else has. _Ryuuseiu Tenkei_ means 'Meteor Shower Type'.

---

Yes, I'm aware of the seriousness of using a rasenshuriken and haven't forgotten the effect it has on Naruto. However, Naruto's not exactly in at the moment--please leave a message with the homicidal fox instead.

---

_Konbi Henge_, for you who don't know, is the "Combination Transformation" technique. All that's really confirmed about the Konbi Henge--unless I missed something noted much later than the Naruto/Gaara and Kiba/Sakon battles--is that one half does the hand seals and the other half provides the chakra. Even though Naruto and Kyuubi are sharing Naruto's body, they are still distinct individuals, so I've assumed a Konbi Henge would be possible without Kyuubi's physical presence if he was the one offering the chakra.

---

It is said that kitsune can create lightning or fire by brushing their tails together, and that they can breathe fire a short distance. I have specifically given the myobu, being a 'heavenly' kitsune, the power of lightning; Kyuubi retains his fire.

---

Remember, 'kyuubi', 'tenko', and 'myobu' are all terms for a nine-tailed fox, but myobu are strictly benevolent servants of Inari while tenko can be either good or bad. All myobu are tenko, but not all tenko are myobu. For those of you who might be confused now, 'Kyuubi' is only Kyuubi's name as an acknowledgement of the fact that he has nine tails because so far (probably as a result of the knowing-a-name-means-power-over-it concept) his true name hasn't been given.

---

As far as I know, I completely made up what Kyuubi-vixen does with her chakra to protect Konoha, as well as how it supports her. If it's actually true, then I will profess my clairvoyance. Otherwise, the amount of chakra she would have as a kyuubi would give her the ability to not only produce as much chakra as she wanted, but the skill to have it do anything she wanted. Its support of her is simply a passive safety feature.

---

_Kitsunetsuki_--or, as I've seen it, _kitsune tsuki_--is the state of being possessed by a kitsune. I'm not sure if this would actually apply to Naruto in the strictest sense, but under a broader definition I feel it would.

---

It's not certain how many elements kitsune are/can be associated with--it's apparently not very clear (and there are cross references with tengu and tanuki, so . . . who knows?). Therefore, I have left that vague so that you can insert whatever elements and colors you like. Fun with foxes!

----------

Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you.

--RN (LS)


	46. War

**_Important Door Number Two note following this chapter!_**

Blargh. Apologies for the lateness, though I have next to no inspiration or energy thanks to my job. Not that it's really physically taxing, but I work the evening shift with one other person, and the two who work the day shift seem to think that the evening shift never has anything important to do, so all the resupply and cleaning shit (and I don't mean the closing duties, either) gets dumped on us. On top of it, the manager (who is half of the day shift crew) can't even keep the kitchen inventory straight. The deliberate unfairness is making my brain melt and drool out my ears. I'm trying to be rational, but I can't say I'd be surprised if I got fired just it. It's what happens when the manager is too damn timid to be an authority and lets some nobody _dishwasher_ (I mean, good Lord, how much lower in a kitchen hierarchy can you _be_ than that?) push her around. _Anyway_, you don't need to hear me bitch about my life. I'm just pointing out what's making getting _DNT_ out difficult for me.

So . . . For those of you who are Christian, this is your (slightly belated) Christmas chapter! For those of you who are _not_ Christian (or at least don't celebrate Christmas), aren't you glad there _is_ a Christmas so that I felt morally compelled--and got enough sleep--to finally find the time and energy to post this?

**Author's Notes:** Chapter forty-six! I'm glad everyone liked the oranges last chapter--I was originally going to make Manda demand human sacrifices like in canon, but that was too gruesome for my tastes and on top of it, it didn't mesh with parallel!Orochimaru's new personality; he'd never go for human sacrifices considering that he's about to help save Konoha. I had to think of something else to sacrifice, and for some reason oranges came to mind. (Possibly because of the months-old wizened orange that's still sitting in my bedroom. I contemplate eating it on occasion, then put it back down and let it sit for a few more weeks. I like oranges, but I'm generally too damn lazy to peel them, and I probably shouldn't eat that one anyway, though it's not fuzzy yet . . .)

Okay, this is the chapter that I was having so much trouble with earlier. I know I said it was chapter forty-seven, but it's chapter forty-seven to _me_--you all are a chapter 'ahead' of me, as it were. Nothing was cut from what you've been reading--I've _added_ stuff, to be honest--that's just how it turned out. Unfortunately, the canon!Kyuubi versus myobu battle simply _refused_ to be written, so I gave up on it and traded it for a battle you guys will probably like a lot more anyway. Please let me know how I did and how I might improve.

Huge, huge, _**huge**_ shout-out to **Gohanzgirl** for her efforts to assist me with the canon!Kyuubi versus myobu fight. It turns out that I didn't use anything she suggested, but not because it wasn't good. So _**thank you**_ for taking the time, even if it was only to get your mind off of other stuff (hope that's gotten better, by the way).

**theonewhohasn'treviewedyet**: The ending's not like that, no. What I meant was that everybody survives, it's just not a "yay, we're all together forever and now we can run through fields of pink flowers" ending.

**catc10**: While I'm pretty sure the chapter was conceived less . . . er . . . _physically_, I appreciate the enthusiasm. I'm not promising my hand to anyone yet, but I will add your name to my list of suitors.

**Shadow Traveler**: May you be shy no more, my love. Thank you very much for such a pleasant and articulate review. :)

**Mithral Dragon**: Well, if it helps, you're not alone in that--everyone else is hanging on threads also. ;) Hm . . . Are you talking about parallel!Naruto or canon!Naruto? Because canon!Naruto is seventeen and parallel!Naruto is twelve, so canon!Naruto would--presumably--act at least a bit more like Iruka that we usually see him. Unless that's not what you mean?

**Title:** Door Number Two

**Author:** Reaper Nanashi (Lady Shinigami)

**Pairing:** None Intended

**Word Count:** 3,245

**Category:** Naruto

**Genre:** Drama

**Type:** Multi-Chapter (Work In Progress)

**Rating:** T (bad words, sexual innuendos, blood, violence)

**Date Submitted:** 12/26/07

**Disclaimer:** No.

**Claimer:** Genko, Byako, Shakko, Hotaru, Nyoko, Aya, Hitomi, Shinju, Akane, Takako, Tsukiko, Mimi, and anyone or anything relating to them is mine

**Summary:** Maybe it's a dream, maybe it's real. Naruto doesn't know how he got there, but he's not sure he wants to go home. Perhaps the little decisions aren't so little after all – one choice can change a life forever . . .

* * *

Chapter Forty-Six - War

* * *

Arashi watched as the red tenko attacked the white myobu savagely. They clawed at one another's faces, fangs bared, exchanging blasts of fire and bolts of lightning. The white myobu let out a scream as the red tenko bit into her shoulder and yanked on the flesh, spilling blood over her pure fur. She whirled and retaliated by slashing open the tender spot behind his ear. They rolled away from one another and Arashi winced as thousands of trees were flattened. There were no villages out in that area, fortunately, but there was at least one safe house that would no longer be of use in the future.

The white myobu leaped onto the red tenko's back. He snarled and bit into three of her tails as she tried to crush his spine. Instead, he managed to swing one of his tails into her head and disrupt her focus. She tried to bite at his tails, but he swung them from both sides until she was finally unsteady enough to be forced to jump off him to keep her feet.

"Kayaku, what do I do?" Arashi murmured frantically. "How do I protect them all? What if I go ahead and use the shiki fuujin and the clerics _do_ only come back with another myobu? What then?" He watched the battling tenko anxiously. _He reminds me so much of you . . . If you were here, would you be out there fighting the myobu, too?_

"_Nyoko-sama_!"

"Nyoko-sama!"

"_DADDY_!"

Arashi looked toward the wall, confused and alarmed. Sure enough, one of the clerics was leaping over the wall and diving beyond the barrier into the dead trees, Nyoko in arm. The cleric was unaffected by the death, probably as a result of being protected by whatever religion he or she represented.

Arashi's stomach twisted. _My baby!_ "_NYOKO_!"

"_DADDY_!"

The cleric leaped up into the air, his back to the two giant kitsune, and called, "Hokage! We will have the _kyuubi no youko_ residing within your son! Either give him to us now or we shall take your daughter in exchange!"

Arashi felt sick. _This isn't fair! How can I be expected to choose between my son and my daughter?! How can I be expected to say that one of them means more to me than the other?!_ Once more, he thought of his other half. _What would you do?! Please help me!_

Suddenly, the red tenko's ears lifted, as if listening to something. He threw the myobu off of himself and turned his bloodthirsty gaze on Konoha, then began to slink closer. With his great and terrifyingly silent strides, he covered the distance in moments.

"Which will it be, _Hokage_?" the cleric demanded, mocking the title.

The red tenko lifted his head behind and above the cleric and bared his fangs. There were shouts from amongst the trees--probably from other clerics--and the one in the air turned in time to see the red tenko's massive jaws come swooping down to bite him in half. Blood sprayed from between the fox's glistening white fangs and he added insult to injury by chomping on the corpse again and again, cackling to himself about the taste of mortal blood, seemingly unaware of the myobu's furious attack on two of his tails.

It would have been all right with Arashi, except . . .

". . . Nyoko . . . _Nyoko_ . . .!"

The tenko--_Naruto_--had eaten her, and he had done it merely for the taste of blood.

"_NO_!" He wanted to do something--_anything_--but jumping from Kyuubi's back to attack or beg would be suicide. The barrier of chakra would not support a human, and he had no other way to get there. He had to think of the village's safety, too. _No no **no**--this is **NOT** happening! **PLEASE**!_

Three sanbi nogitsune that were roughly the size of wolves abruptly broke ranks and ran across Kyuubi's barrier to where the red tenko was still enjoying his kill. They barked at him, bouncing about frenetically, and he stared at them as blood vanished into his identically-colored fur. He idly flicked his tails, finally throwing the myobu to the earth for a moment, then spoke in the kitsune language.

The sound was like thunder rolling across the sky.

The triplets, stilled by his voice, began to bounce around and bark again. Eventually, the red tenko opened his mouth slightly and jerked his head; a tiny form flew through the air. Byako immediately turned into what appeared to be a large three-tailed cushion of thick white moss and Genko and Shakko hopped onto it to stabilize the thing that fell. Genko grabbed the thing and raced back toward the waiting kitsune, Shakko on her heels and Byako bringing up the rear.

"Nyoko!" Arashi cried, scooping his daughter into his arms from Genko's fangs.

"Daddy!" she sobbed in return, grasping whatever part of him she could reach.

He looked her over, but though she was slimy from the tenko's saliva, there was not even a scratch on her. "Oh, my baby girl . . ." he murmured, hugging her to his chest tightly. _Oh, thank you! Whoever's listening, **thank you** so much!_ He held her for as long as he dared, then passed her back over to the triplets despite her shrieking and grasping at him. "Take her to Hotaru!" he commanded. "Try to find a good place for them to hide!"

They ran off, descending through Kyuubi's chakra barrier.

The red tenko whirled about and attacked the myobu once more, biting into her ruff with the fury of a rabid animal. They clawed one another and screamed, then the myobu finally yanked herself away, leaving a mouthful of white fluff in her wake. The red tenko flattened his tails into a horizontal fan shape and stood, braced for combat.

Just before the myobu lunged, the sky seemed to tear open. There was no storm or wind, just the blue sky splitting silently. What appeared to be the thin arm of a Celestial kitsune lowered into view. Another arm followed, and then a long head, the body, and a lot of tails. Arashi counted them and found that there were ten. The new kitsune was the most beautiful metallic bronze that he had ever seen and her fur flowed easily in the breeze. He watched the red tenko--who for all his mass was still only three-quarters the size of the bronze kitsune--lower each of his tails carefully to the earth and then lie down with his head on his paws--quite clearly a subservient gesture. That was when he felt Kyuubi shifting and noticed that she, as well as the other kitsune, were all doing the same thing.

Aside from the myobu, who was still on her feet and snarling, Fire Country was silent.

"Who is that?" Arashi finally whispered, and blinked when the bronze kitsune turned and locked rich royal purple eyes on him.

"That is the Lady," Kyuubi whispered back. "She is the mother of all kitsune and the symbol of what we aspire to become, though none has ever managed it. We all serve her in the way she asks of us, even ones who thirst for blood as _he_ does." She made a small gesture at the red tenko, who was holding very still in the Lady's presence.

"She has a lot of tails," Arashi noted, for lack of anything better to say.

"She comes only in her ten-tailed form," Kyuubi acknowledged. "That is fortunate. Her thousand-tailed form is much stronger and more aggressive. It would mean the clerics have more power than we had thought."

"_Thousand_-tailed? Is she a god? Why would she come here?"

"By the mortal definition, yes, for she is without flaw. Either she has been asked to step in or she has chosen to do so of her own volition."

"What will she do?"

"As little as she possibly can," Kyuubi replied. "A being as supreme as her could cause great devastation simply by exhaling carelessly."

Arashi watched the Lady lower her snout to the red tenko's head. The red fox reverently closed his eyes and accepted what Arashi assumed was a blessing of some kind.

The myobu abruptly lunged at the Lady's shoulder, but all the Lady had to do was crook the tip of her nearest tail against the myobu's head and the myobu's direction changed instantly. She slammed into the earth, the impact forming a small trench around her body, and remained where she had fallen, twitching in pain. The Lady turned then to the dead trees below her, and in an instant she bore the very same mad, bloodthirsty expression of the red tenko. She snapped at the trees, tearing them from the ground without effort, and the red tenko scooted backward along the ground as her head and fangs moved toward him.

". . . Is she safe?" Arashi whispered in an even quieter voice than before. _She's crazy._

"The Lady is gentleness incarnate," Kyuubi confirmed. "Even so, what mother would not become so enraged when one of her children had without permission been stolen from her and, in a sense, mutilated? Would she not attack and kill the ones responsible?"

Arashi could understand that. _It is, after all, a relatively accurate description of myself._

The Lady suddenly took another bite of the trees--and stopped. Her fury vanished and she touched her nose to the red tenko's head once again, then turned away and stepped into the air and through the tear in the sky, which sealed itself behind the tips of her tails. Immediately, the red tenko was on his feet and had his tails in the horizontal fan shape again. The myobu struggled to her feet and barked half-heartedly, but there was little else she could do--the Lady's attack had done her incredible harm.

A sea of sand swept up from the barren landscape around them, caging the myobu within a cube of dust. The red tenko bared his fangs at it and barked, "_Sabaku Taisou_!"

The sand cube compressed to less than a third its original size.

Arashi stared, sickened. _There's no way the myobu survived that!_ "How cruel!"

"It was necessary," Kyuubi said as she got to her feet. "Since the clerics know her name, the only way to keep them from enslaving her again is to make it too time-consuming to put in the effort, which is most easily accomplished by destroying her physical body."

"But she's _dead_!"

"She will simply return to the Lady and serve her in a different way. She may or may not be able to earn a new physical form in the future." Kyuubi looked over her shoulder at him and said pointedly, "It is less damning, anyway, than sealing her in a mortal body."

The red tenko examined the sand cube as it collapsed into a pile of dust. When white bone and fur made pink with blood began to show through in various places, he appeared satisfied with his work. Unfortunately, that meant he turned his attention to the only other target nearby that was worth attacking.

Konoha.

Bloody fangs bared in a cruel grin, the red tenko adopted a firm and possessive stance. With his ears and hackles up, he was a magnificent but terrifying sight. He threw a howl to the sky and Arashi knew without a doubt that Konoha had another fight on her hands--one worse than the last. _And she is **not** ready for it!_ "Kyuubi . . ."

Before the sound of the howl had fully passed beyond hearing, the red tenko dropped his head and opened his mouth. His tongue flopped out and to the right, giving him the look of a deranged puppy. He breathed audibly, the inhale a disjointed noise that made it sound as though he might actually be a little tired from his previous engagement, but the exhale was the light pant of a rabid beast intent on its prey. His pupils expanded and contracted as he attempted to focus in the fading daylight, and they finally settled on near-total dilation. He was still for a moment as he breathed loudly a second time, then he began to move toward Konoha in such a way that his body undulated like that of a salamander.

"_Kyuubi_," Arashi said more urgently. Shinobi instinct and common sense both said that he should attack the uncontrollable kitsune, but . . . _Naruto is in there somewhere, Kyuubi said so. He has to be alive for the tenko to exist. What can I possibly do?_

"_STOP_!" Kyuubi roared. Arashi jumped at the volume of her voice, but felt vindicated as he noticed that the subordinate kitsune and the shinobi all startled as well. The tenko had halted his advance, but still held his predatory pose; it was clear he had obeyed her only because he was confident in his ability to pick up exactly where he had left off.

He was playing with them, and Arashi was furious.

Kyuubi, for her part in the matter, did not seem perturbed. "You overstep your bounds, dog. The agreement---"

"My _agreement_," the red tenko snapped, "is first of all between myself and the brat, meddling trash. You have no authority in this. Whatever _bounds_ you may feel I've overstepped are irrelevant."

"The kit did not agree to let you do this."

"Silly bitch," the red tenko purred. "What he doesn't know can't stop me."

Kyuubi roared again and lunged at him, dumping Arashi unceremoniously. A nearby hachibi slid beneath him and he clung to the pale blue fur, knowing Kyuubi's barrier would not support him as it had her. With the hachibi's help, he managed to climb onto her back; it was not as strange as he had thought it might be, as she was almost as tall as Kyuubi. "Thanks," he murmured, absently patting the fox's ruff as he refocused on the two tenko.

In a swirling burst of chakra, Kyuubi multiplied her size by a thousand to face off with the mad tenko, who eagerly opened his jaws to meet her attack. Kyuubi used her paw-hands to grab the tenko by each half of his mouth and cartwheel onto his back, from which she backflipped and landed delicately among the dead trees.

"Oh?" the tenko questioned as he turned casually to face her where she was crouched near the earth. "So my reliance on this dimension's physicality doesn't affect you after all. With the way you ran from it before, I thought it might."

Kyuubi snarled. "Perhaps that would be true for other kitsune, but I am you and my power cancels yours."

The tenko grinned madly in response and let his tongue hang out again. He mirrored her position. "You believe so? Then let us find out just whose power cancels whose!"

He leaped at her, but when she tried to bite him he danced away from her. He dove in a second time, but skittered away before she could harm him. He repeated the effort several times until, in frustration, Kyuubi brushed eight of her tails against their nearest neighbor, making a sound of flint striking steel, and let her mouth fall open. Flames shot across the distance between them, but the tenko sidestepped them lazily before looking at the dead trees that had caught fire.

He smirked, then barked out a laugh and called, "As if fire would have hurt me! And I thought you were supposed to be _protecting_ this land, not setting it ablaze! Hahaha!" He lifted himself up onto his rear legs and made several hand seals, then let his front end drop to the earth. Shockwaves spread from the point of contact, causing the ground to shake violently. He brought his head up high, then swung it down hard toward her as he made a quick slashing motion with his fangs. "_Kaze no Tou_!"

Kyuubi swiftly formed a pair of lanterns and threw them at the blade of wind. There was a massive explosion of fire and for a moment Arashi feared that it might set another part of the land on fire, but it seemed to reach its limit just before touching the treetops and suddenly imploded as the pressurized wind was forced away.

With the swell of fire, the tenko had vanished. Kyuubi looked around, her ears swiveling to cover her blind spots, but the tenko seemed to be gone. She looked down seconds before the ground cracked and managed to escape the paw-hands that were reaching for her heels with a powerful leap into the air that shook the earth. She formed some seals, then twisted a full three hundred-sixty degrees to get a measure of power behind her forelegs as she swept them down to where the tenko was. "_Fuuton_! _Daitoppa_!"

The earth turned into a thick cloud of dust and Kyuubi landed as lightly as a cat, her hard red irises barely visible as her pupils dilated fully to take in whatever light the newly-risen waning moon chose to bestow alongside the glow provided by the forest fire that she had unintentionally started. She searched through the dust, eyes and ears constantly moving.

The tenko suddenly leaped out of the ground between Kyuubi and Konoha. He lunged at the village, Kyuubi right behind. She extended one paw-hand to grab him near the base of one of his tails, but he swung the remaining eight into her hard, knocking her into the dead trees near where the myobu had fallen. The tenko rushed at the village again, smirking at the bristling ranks of kitsune, and was obviously completely taken off guard when Manda spit venom into his eyes. The tenko stopped and writhed, howling, and that was when Katsuyu added her own acid to the mix. Her aim was a bit high, but the corrosive fluid splattered the tenko's back and ate through his fur, and the howling became agonized screams. Gamabunta slid forward, his knife held ready, and cut deeply into the tenko's left shoulder.

Enraged, the tenko whirled and snapped, but his blindness allowed the great toad to get out of harm's way. Still, Gamabunta was top-heavy and his weight brought him down outside the barrier Kyuubi had set in place. He threw one warty hand out to keep his feet, but jerked back quickly in pain. It was only Manda's tail wrapping around him that kept him from falling onto the dead earth completely.

"You okay?" Jiraiya asked the big toad, waving thanks to the purple snake and Orochimaru.

Gamabunta looked at his hand, which was quite burned, and answered gruffly, "Fine. We definitely can't step beyond this barrier, though."

It did not matter overmuch, because Kyuubi was back on her feet. She grabbed the tenko by his tails again and yanked, swinging him around so that she was between him and Konoha. The tenko hardly noticed at first, being too wrapped up in his stinging eyes and burning back, but barked with anger as he overbalanced and fell. "_Give up_, dog!" Kyuubi commanded.

The panting tenko, however, only blinked rapidly at her before squinting and snarling in answer once he was bock on his feet. "I . . . will . . . _NEVER SUBMIT_!" he roared, and opened his mouth. Chakra swirled between his jaws, forming the red version of a painfully familiar sphere. The orb's rapid rotation split the air, and the howl of a rasengan announced its presence to all of Fire Country.

* * *

To Be Continued . . .

* * *

**Answers To Questions You Didn't Even Know You Wanted To Ask:**

_Kyuubi no youko_, for the unfamiliar, means "demon Nine-tail". Canon!Kyuubi is often referred to in this way in the Japanese version of the anime.

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_Sanbi_ means "three-tail" and _nogitsune_ is a little-used term for wild foxes.

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The Lady (and yes, that's what she's referred to as) is a kitsune with either ten tails or one thousand tails. I'm not quite sure exactly which it is, or if it's both and simply depends on personal belief or what legends one adheres to (for the purposes of the fic, obviously, I have given her the option of both numbers). In any case, the Lady is the _**only**_ kitsune in possession of more than nine tails. She is the mother of all kitsune, like parallel!Kyuubi said, and all kitsune serve her in one way or another. Depending on who you talk to, some say (as I noted in chapter forty-four) that the Lady and Inari are the same being, and that Inari will take the shape of 'the Lady' on occasion; in other cases, the Lady may simply be Inari's wisest and most favored familiar.

Useless fact: I originally gave the Lady silver fur, but upon rereading my information regarding tenko in general I saw that most of them--upon receiving that ninth tail--usually had their fur turn white, silver, or gold. I wanted the Lady to be unique, so I made her metallic bronze, which doesn't get enough credit as an attractive color.

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Something I forgot to mention in the last chapter but still applies here was how canon!Kyuubi's presence killed the grass and trees. As spirits, kitsune who are summoned to this plane draw their strength from the land around them; a kitsune's presence can be detected by tracking the decay of otherwise healthy flora--I have simply made this more dramatic both for effect and because Kyuubi is simply so large that the power he would need to sustain himself would be considerable.

Also, slightly off topic, a kitsune's presence can be detected by an appropriate surge in elemental occurences. By which mean that since Kyuubi is a fire fox, his presence could be noted by an increase in the number of wildfires or the length of a drought, even if no one had seen him. The presence of the myobu, with her lightning element, could have been noted in an increase in electrical thunderstorms.

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There are lots of female foxes here (Genko, parallel!Kyuubi, the myobu, the Lady, the hachibi--which is an eight-tail, by the way) compared to male foxes (canon!Kyuubi, Byako, Shakko). That's because in kitsune legend, virtually every kitsune mentioned _is_ female. There are many reasons for this, ranging from perceived sexist implications (i.e., women are foxes, which are often viewed as tricksters, and thus never to be trusted) to simple fairy-tale stories.

Someone left a review last chapter claiming that canon!Kyuubi is female. I asked for clarification but have seen no response so far, so if anyone can verify that with official canon reference/creator interview proof, I'd be much obliged.

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For those who are looking for that kind of thing, _Sabaku Taisou_ is indeed Gaara's move (I can't remember the exact translation now, but it's a field of sand covering all ranges). It apparently requires him to infuse his chakra into the sand, which--even if that's a particularly difficult move--should be simple enough for a bijuu to accomplish, at the very least; especially one as strong as Kyuubi. I have, of course, tweaked it for the sake of entertainment.

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_Kaze no Tou_ means "Sickle of Wind" (yes, I've made it up). It is indeed similar to the _Kaze no Yaiba _(Blade of Wind), except that it can be thrown, but at the same time it's not the blunt trauma of Shukaku's air bullets. It's probably most similar to Temari's _Kirikiri Mai _(her weasel summon), except that it can only strike once and in a straight line.

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_Fuuton: Daitoppa_ is, if I remember correctly, an at-the-time-unnamed technique Orochimaru used against Sasuke in the Forest of Death (and I've forgotten the translation for it also, but it's obviously a Wind technique). Kyuubi-vixen's execution of the move is slightly different, but she didn't have anything to brace against, either.

--

I don't even know what to call Gamabunta's knife-thingy. It's too short to be a kodachi or wakizashi and is clearly nothing near a katana (plus he doesn't use it like one), but it appears to be too tall to be a tanto, which is what I would call it if I had to call it something. Wikipedia calls it a "yakuza sword", which I am unfamiliar with and not entirely sure actually exists (and I make it a point to not blindly trust anything Wikipedia says anyway). So . . . I is confuzzled.

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**_Important note(s) regarding Door Number Two--READ PLEASE!!_**

1.) This is the _last_ chapter I have prewritten for _DNT_--from here on out it's all fresh off the griddle. The problem is that I only have about eight lines of the next chapter written. So there **_will_** be a wait for it and I have **_no_** idea how long it will be--it could be two weeks, it could be four months or more. I just don't know. I will do my best to concentrate on _DNT_ over the holiday break I have from work (especially since this is a supremely craptastic place to stop the fic for an indeterminate amount of time), but I can make no worthwhile promises.

2.) With regards to the above, I have a few questions. I am getting over one hundred reviews per chapter now (thank you :D), and I do my best to answer ones that are particularly long or have questions before I post a new chapter. Because you all take the time to review, I feel obligated to respond to as many as I can and in several cases that has delayed the posting of a chapter by a day or two. So my questions are as follows: From here on out, since my employment situation is stressful and draining and _DNT_ is only ever going to be hot off the press in the future, how do _you_ feel about me answering your reviews? Obviously, if you have a question I will be happy to answer it, but if you simply leave a review--even a long one--would you want me to answer it or would you rather I focus on getting the next chapter prepped and posted? (This may seem like a no-brainer, but I appreciate confirmation rather than making a blind assumption.)

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Reviews are very much appreciated, thank you. And this is just a reminder that even if I haven't responded to your review, it's not because I didn't see it--it's so I can try to get the chapters out faster. I only wanted to reassure everyone, be it a needless concern or not, that I do read _all_ of the reviews left for me and bask in whatever words have been offered.

Thank you again for your praise and suggestions!

--RN (LS)


	47. You Are ON NOTICE!

I told myself I'd never write one of these things . . . so I'm going to.

Obviously, it's been **ages** since I updated _Door Number Two_. The reason for this is, as I hinted at the end of chapter forty-six, because I have virtually none of chapter forty-seven written. I am **stuck** on this. I know where I want it to go, but for eight months could not figure out how to get it there. Therefore, I have shelved _Door Number Two_ at least for now – which I hate to do, because it's gotten so much love – and begun to rewrite it.

For anyone who isn't aware, at the time of this notice's creation I have already posted the first three chapters of _Vis-à-Vis_, which is the new title for the rewritten _Door Number Two_. Go look at it because it's levels better, and please don't let the idea of a "rewrite" frighten you – _Vis-à-Vis_ is going to contain eighty percent or more of what _Door Number Two_ currently does, and that eighty percent will have been injected with illegal substances to improve its performance . . . or would have, had it been a human. There will be "new" characters – parallel!Shikamaru, parallel!Lee, and others, including cameos by the parents of parallel!Kakashi and parallel!Iruka – and more information on the clerics. Parallel!Naruto and canonverse will also get some more attention. If I'm feeling particularly inspired, there may even be the inclusion of battles which I skipped over in _Door Number Two_.

So for the time being I will be focusing all of my energy on _Vis-à-Vis_. Updates will be much slower in coming than they were with _Door Number Two_, but I am confident in saying that they will be worth the wait. Do **not** wait for _Door Number Two_ to be updated – I would like to think I'll be finishing it, but I can't guarantee that it will ever be checked up on again.

Please, do **not** respond to this through a review. If, for some reason, you have a question or comment – though I don't know why you would – either PM or e-mail me. **DO NOT REVIEW** **THIS NOTICE** because I will **not** be reading it. Thank you for all your support with _Door Number Two_ and I hope you'll stop by _Vis-à-Vis_, enjoy it more than you did its predecessor, and then leave a review **there** telling me so.

–RN (LS)


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